Last Saturday, the four best middle school girls’ basketball teams in Long Beach showcased their young talent in the Division I & II All-City Championship basketball finals at Cabrillo.
The rematch in the Division II Championship between the Cubberley Cubs and Newcomb Spartans proved to be the game of the night. The two schools met in the first game of the season when the Cubs ran past the Spartans in a 40-point victory. But after a season of work the Spartans took the Cubs to the wire in a last second thriller.
Briana Guillory dropped 28 for the Spartans and her jumper gave Newcomb a 33-31 lead with just 1:24 left. Cubberley’s Grace Schmidt-Beck got to the line, hit the front end of a 1-and-1, but missed the second. Teammate Kaelin Davis was there to pick her up, grabbed the rebound, and her put-back gave Cubberley the lead, 34-33.
Cubberley’s Katie Kemeny knocked down a 15-footer to give the Cubs the lead for good. Newcomb did get back to the line to cut the lead to two, but they couldn’t get the ball back for a final shot.
Cubberley sports are on an absolute roll right now. This basketball title is an unprecedented third All-City Title for the Cubs, who are already tops in football and volleyball.
Team members from Newcomb include: Kayla Parker, Victoria Levin, Valerie Zawicki, Samantha Woolcott, Julia Jaynes, Briana Guillory, Alize Green, Kelsey Zerr, Sydney Rockett, Sydney Ellis, Kamren Phillips, Yolanda Ealy, Manager Bailey Thayer, Manager Daniel Glenn and Head Coach Neil Sauerheber.
Team members from Cubberley include: Hannah Clark, Camille Romero, Kaelin Davis, Arlena Nou, Noelle Mathes, Katie Kemeny, Taylor Sitala, Grace Schmidt-Beck, Brenna Hastings, Sabria Harper and Head Coach Grant Robinson.
In the Division I Finals, Airica Carmon’s 21 points helped Northern League Champion Hughes take out Southern League Champion Stanford, 49-22. The Owls ruled with second-chance points behind the rebounding of Taylor Burgess and jumped out to a 30-10 halftime lead. Stanford’s Sierra Hancock and Claire Oates kept the Hawks in the hunt, but Hughes’ trapping defense ultimately wore them down. Like Cubberley, Hughes is also ruling the roost this year with a City Title in volleyball.
Team members from Stanford include: Whitney Royal, Ariana Washington, Marlo Hitchcock, Sierra Hancock, Sami Reinhard, Kailani Marchak, Claire Oates, Cassidy Kaneshiro, Zoe Cooper, Darylynn Horton, Veimoll Noch, Sarai McKenzie, Assistant Coach Laura Heaton and Head Coach Amy Heaton.
Team members from Hughes include: Cierra Belvin, Tyra Monette, Siana Fields, Seriyah Guillory, Taylor Burgess, Mia Belvin, Ja’nae Harrison, Airica Carmon, Michelle Bernal, Jalea Dashiell, Rickea Smith, Kayla Hopkins, Assistant Coach Dawn Mackey, Assistant Coach Greg Tuchek and Head Coach Nickey Woods.