The Pleasant Valley girls basketball team made an impressive run deep into the CIF Division II state playoffs, defeating a strong Oakland Tech team, before falling one game short of a state championship berth. Both teams shared the EAL regular season title.
It was an exciting rivalry between PV and its cross-town rival Chico, as the Vikings and Panthers both won at their home gyms, before meeting once again in the Northern Section championship where PV got the victory.
The Vikings, a team made up of primarily juniors and just one senior, were led in scoring by AJ Gambol, the All Northern Section Player of the Year.
The All Northern Section teams are voted on by sports reporters in the Northern Section including Rick Silva from the Red Bluff Daily News, Jeff Larson from the Marysville Appeal-Democrat, Justin Couchot from the Chico Enterprise-Record, and reporters Aaron Williams from Redding and Jennifer Corriea from Colusa.
Gambol became PV’s all-time leading scorer on a free throw she made Feb. 8 against Chico, and finished her junior season averaging 19.6 points per game and 4.2 rebounds per game. She scored a career-high 31 points in the NSCIF championship game against Chico, and tied that in the Vikings’ state playoff loss to Colfax.
Joining Gambol on the All Section second team is her teammate and fellow guard Maddux Wilson (14 points per game).
Chico senior Taylee Clements (13.6 points per game) represents the Panthers on the second team.
Gridley forward Brook Marr, a junior, led the Bulldogs with 20.8 points per game, 13 rebounds per game and 6.3 blocks per game, earning herself a spot on the first team.
Las Plumas sophomore center Ava Hepworth averaged 10.8 points per game and 13.2 rebounds per game, earning her spot as the third team’s center.
All Northern Section teams
First Team
G — AJ Gambol, Pleasant Valley
G — Lexi Peters, Foothill
C — Joanna Warren, University Prep
F — Renaissance Johnson, Weed
F — Brook Marr, Gridley
Second Team
G — Taylee Clements, Chico
G — Danica Chavez, Colusa
C — Shelby Nussle, Quincy
G — Maddux Wilson, Pleasant Valley
F — Taylor Ford, Anderson
Third Team
G — Kayla Wiley, West Valley
G — Alexes Collier, Yreka
C — Ava Hepworth, Las Plumas
G — Reese Cassity, Fall River
F — Brooklyn Beasley, Redding Christian
Player of the Year: AJ Gambol, Pleasant Valley
Coach of the Year: Caitlin Montgomery/Victoria Geist, Trinity
