Whitney outlasts Half Moon Bay to win first California (CIF) girls high school basketball championship

School of ultimate 'nerdy student athletes,' wins first state title in any sport with start-to-finish D4 triumph at Golden 1 Center, home of the Sacramento Kings

Whitney players celebrate winning the California (CIF) State Division 4 championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. / Photo by Ralph Thompson

SACRAMENTO — What started a blowout in the making, turned into a terrific California (CIF) girls high school basketball championship game.

Whitney of Cerritos raced to a 10-0 lead in the 10 a.m. game at Golden 1 Center, home of the NBA Kings, and the Wildcats seemed primed for an easy morning title win.

Instead, Half Moon Bay, led by a mammoth 18-point, 18-rebound performance by 6-foot junior Zoey Lemoge, made a total game of it and the two teams went blow-for-blow until Whitney earned a 48-40 victory to claim the Division 4 championship, their first state crown in first state appearance.

It was also the school's first state championship in any sports.

The Wildcats (28-9), out of the Southern Section, got superlative efforts from 5-10 senior Haylie Wang (17 points, nine rebounds) and sophomore guard Alyssa So (15 points)

Alyssa So dribbles past a Half Moon Bay defender during the California (CIF) State Division 4 title game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. / Photo by Ralph Thompson

"We've been a hidden gem and a pretty good team for a lot of years," said second year coach Myron Jacobs. "We're not a big school. We have kids who play a lot of different sports. And we're an academic school.

"We play with a lot of heart and a lot of discipline."

Assistant and former assistnat principal Wayne Muramatsu gave an impassioned speech in the postseason press conference, lauding his student-athletes, known as "nerds" by the general population because of their academic excellence.

He also credited with the excellent work of Jacobs.

Whitney's Sarai Carter scores on a layup during the California (CIF) State Division 4 title game against Half Moon Bay at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. / Photo by Ralph Thompson

"Many parents of students at the school might not want to see their kids play sports," Muramatsu said. "But these girls up here are true student athletes."

Jacobs was impressed with Half Moon Bay's skill and size, especially the work of Lemoge who collected 10 offensive rebounds. Despite that, he called Whitney's rebounding performance the best he's seen in two seasons as coach. Half Moon Bay (23-8) held a 34-32 rebounding edge overall.

Half Moon Bay also got 12 points by junior guard Xochitl Nieves and 10 points, four assists and three steals from Delaney Dorwin.

"Today was a beatiful opportunity for us," said Half Moon Bay coach Megan Smith. "It's the first time we've been in this game since 1992. It was a tough way for our seniors to go out, but this is something we'll all remember for the rest of our lives."

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As hard as the Panthers battled, cutting the lead down to three and four several times, ultimately the 10-0 run to start was the difference.

"We got some really good looks early," Smith said. "The girls battled hard. But that's just the way the cookies crumble sometimes."

Lemoge said though the loss stung, she was grateful for the Panthers late-season surge to make it to state.

"It's been an amazing ride," she said. "We stuck together every single day. Being here is such a gift."

Whitney players and coaches poss following their victory in the California (CIF) State Division 4 title game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. / Photo by Ralph Thompson

Box score Whitney 48, Half Moon Bay 40 girls D4 state championship California / Box score: Courtesy CIF