La Jolla Country Day wins its 21st straight game against CIF San Diego Section competition
BY DON NORCROSS
DEC. 12, 2023 8:45 PM PT
La Jolla Country Day girls basketball coach Terri Bamford probably shed a few tears at the Torreys’ graduation ceremony last spring. She lost McDonald’s All-Americans Breya Cunningham and Jada Williams off a team that advanced to the Southern California Regional semifinals and two other starters who earned spots on the San Diego Section All-CIF teams.
As a result, four wide-eyed sophomores are starting this season. The fifth starter, senior point guard Naomi Panganiban, is a pretty good one. Panganiban puts her skills on display Tuesday night, scoring 30 points to lead LJCD to a 62-49 road win over Bonita Vista. The San Diego State commit came in averaging 26 points, including a 40-point effort recently against Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda, ranked No. 3 in California.
“She has really been cooking,” said Bonita Vista coach Tristan Lamb. “Naomi is one great player.”
LJCD is co-ranked No. 1 in the section with Mission Hills. Bonita Vista, ranked fourth, advanced to its first state championship last year, falling to Fresno Central in the Div. II title game.
Panganiban scored 16 points in the first quarter, and the Torreys took a 22-13 lead. By halftime, LJCD led 34-19 and Panganiban had scored 22. Bonita Vista’s Mahlia Wilson was a one-girl show for the Barons, scoring all 19 of the Barons’ first-half points.
Said Lamb: “I haven’t coached a game where only one player scored all the points in the first game.”
Bonita Vista twice cut the lead to seven points in the third quarter and it was still a seven-point game midway through the fourth. But LJCD closed on a 13-5 run to remove all doubt.
“That wasn’t pretty,” said Bamford, who wasn’t happy with how the Torreys handled Bonita Vista’s trapping 3-2 zone from the half court in the second half.
“Our youth showed. Tonight, you could tell they were sophomores. But the bottom line is we strung enough together to get the win.”
The biggest difference was LJCD’s depth. Sophomore Mahlia Washington pulled off a double-double, scoring 11 points and pulling down 13 rebounds. She filled the stat sheet with two steals and three assists.
Senior Alea Tufaga gave the Torreys a big boost. She came in averaging 1.1 points per game. Against the Barons, she scored nine. Panganiban, though, is the team’s glue. After averaging seven points per game last season, she’s filling a much bigger role.
“She has to do a lot for this team,” said Bamford. “She has to bring the ball up the floor, distribute it, get the ball back and be our main scoring threat. She’s our leader.”
Said Panganiban: “I have to step up this year. Not only fill the scoring deficit, but as a leader. I feel that’s my role as a senior.”
Wilson was the only player in double figures for Bonita Vista. Freshman Bayanai Cordova, who came in averaging 17 points, scored six. Another freshman, Layla Schoen, scored five.
“I think we did good, considering it was only our fourth game,” said Lamb. “It’s still early for us.”
The Barons were scheduled to catch an early flight Wednesday to play a tournament in New Jersey.
The win was La Jolla Country Day’s 21st straight against San Diego Section teams. They won Tuesday night by 13. Their average winning margin coming into the 20-game win streak was 40.5.