CaliforniaPreps.com - Girls Battle of the Valley Report

May 4, 2009

Dave Rogahn and Dave Keefer
CaliforniaPreps.com Staff

The Valley Sports Foundation's 2009 Battle of the Valley featured a McDonald's All-American for the first time, as Gennifer Brandon of Chatsworth added to her resume by capturing MVP honors with 25 points and 12 rebounds even though her West team lost the game. Nicole Hicks (Saugus) led the winning East team with 14 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists.

Girls: East (Blue) 76, West (Red) 67

By Dave Rogahn

McDonald's All-American Gennifer Brandon (Chatsworth) had 25 points and 12 rebounds to win the game's MVP award, but the East used its superior depth and led most of the way in a 76-67 victory.

Brandon was clearly the best player on the floor, adding 4 blocks and 3 steals to her game-high scoring and rebounding totals. And Joy Hubbard (Taft) was nearly as good, making 8 of 12 shots from the floor for 20 points. But the East team saw all 13 players score, and that was the difference in a 9-point win.

The West led 4-0 early on, and 6-4 a bit later, with all of its points coming from Brandon. But then the East went on a 13-0 run to take a 17-6 lead. After the West cut the margin to 6 at 20-13, the West went on a 17-6 run to take an 18-point lead late in the firsts half at 37-19.

The East scored the game's next 10 points to cut the margin to 8, and trailed by just 9 at halftime. And the East crept within 4 points at 43-39 after a putback basket by Brittani Jefferson (Quartz Hill), and still trailed by just 5 at 59-54. But the East never quite pulled even. The West pushed the margin back into double figures at 65-55 after a pair of free throws by Starla Wright (Valencia) with 6:09 left, and the lead never fell below 8 the rest of the way.

Click here for a complete box score for both teams.

Nicole Hicks (Saugus) led the winning side with 14 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Wright had a double-double with 10 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Crystal Cristales (Poly) and Breanna Kigozi (Notre Dame) each had 8 points.

For the West, Brandon and Hubbard combined for 45 of the team's 67 points. Jefferson also had a strong game with 6 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks, while Sidney Dobner (Newbury Park) had 6 points and 6 rebounds.

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