Prep basketball: Freshman leads Nipomo girls to fifth-straight win

During the preseason, the Nipomo High girls basketball team showed its age. With four freshmen seeing regular playing time, the team struggled to get wins and entered the Los Padres League season with a 3-8 record.

When league play began, the youngsters grew up fast.

Nipomo’s 54-35 win over Santa Maria on Tuesday moved the Titans to 10-3 in league play, good enough for third place and a spot in the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

One of the young guns, freshman guard Abbey Gutierrez, led the way against the Saints with a game-high 14 points.

“She has been amazing all season long,” Nipomo coach David Mendez said after the team’s fifth-straight win. “She has really helped us when our other guards have been struggling. She really knows basketball, and that’s what I like about her.”

Gutierrez was able to play well Tuesday when Nipomo’s top point guard, junior Kylie Mendez, was held without a field goal.

It’s rare to see a freshman on the court for a varsity squad — but its even rarer to see a freshman handle the ball and set up the offense like Gutierrez often does for Nipomo. Gutierrez has shown she doesn’t shy away from big moments on the court, but she admitted she was a little nervous before her first postgame interview with The Tribune.

“I was pumped because we have been working hard in practice,” said Gutierrez, whose season high is 17 points. “We have been working well making our shots, so I felt confident.”

Senior captain Vanessa Davis — who gives the Titans some size down low, along with experience — scored 10 points.

Junior guard Sidney Aguilera added 9 points.

“It’s nice to have guards that really know how to play with each other, and with Kylie, Abbey and Sidney, they really know how to work together,” Mendez said. “It’s a big plus.”

“We have grown closer as a team and have learned to work with each other more,” Gutierrez said. “We have had bonding and learned where the other person is going to be.”

In Nipomo’s final game of the league season Thursday, the team will get another shot at Lompoc. The Braves handed Nipomo its worst defeat of league play, a 70-31 loss last month.

“Last time we played them we weren’t expecting them to be so quick,” Gutierrez said. “So now that we know that, we just have to get back on defense faster.”

Mendez hopes his full-court-pressure defense that was successful against Santa Maria can turn the tables on Lompoc. But full-court stamina comes at a price.

“Practice is going to be bad,” Gutierrez laughed.

Coast Union 40, Coastal Christian 19

The Coast Union girls basketball team wrapped up its regular season with a 40-19 win over Coastal Christian on Tuesday.

Reagan Kniffen had 11 points, four rebounds and three steals to lead the Broncos.

Ashley Martinez chipped in 10 points, four steals and a pair of assists, and Meg Stern added six points and seven rebounds.

Coast Union (8-5, 8-2 Coast Valley League) will find out next week who it will face in the playoffs, which begin Tuesday.

Cabrillo 58, Templeton 36

Savannah Spinharney had 13 points for the Eagles (9-12, 5-8 Los Padres League).

Cabrillo held a 22-2 free-throw advantage for the game.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Coast Union 52, Coastal Christian 5

Alex Kennedy had 12 points, and Sam Mackinnon added 10 more for the Broncos.

Auggie Johnson added nine for Coast Union.

Tribune Staff Report

This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 10:22 PM with the headline "Prep basketball: Freshman leads Nipomo girls to fifth-straight win."