Payton Sugar, Lev Feiman lift Brentwood girls basketball team to victory against Fairmont Prep at MLK Showcase at Rosary Academy

FULLERTON – In a showdown of two of California’s most productive 3-point shooting lineups, the Brentwood School girls basketball team didn’t focus on keeping pace Monday with state leader Adyra Rajan of Fairmont Prep at the inaugural Royals MLK Showcase at Rosary Academy.

The Eagles just relied on having more options from behind the 3-point arc, most notably seniors Payton Sugar and Lev Feiman, and Brentwood’s depth, combined with uncharacteristic struggles from the perimeter for the Huskies, proved to be the difference.

Sugar and Feiman combined for 41 points, including seven of Brentwood’s 12 3-point field goals, as the Eagles built a 13-point advantage after one quarter and never relinquished control in a 69-59 victory.

Post-game interviews

Brentwood (13-5) also secured a 75-43 win Monday against Legacy High of Los Angeles at the MLK Showcase at Serra High.

It marked the second time in three days that Brentwood competed in multiple games, including contests Saturday against Buena Park and Sage Hill, as a result of the Eagles trying to reschedule all games postponed during the recent Southern California wildfires.

Brentwood is also scheduled to play twice Jan. 25 against Rancho Cucamonga and Campbell Hall.

Brentwood girls basketball | Photo courtesy of Brentwood girls basketball

The Eagles weren’t able to match the 35-point halftime lead they accumulated against Legacy, but the Eagles scored 15 unanswered points following an early 3-pointer from Rajan, a junior, to build a 25-12 first-quarter advantage against Fairmont Prep (16-7).

Feiman, a UC San Diego signee who also contributed 12 rebounds for Brentwood, scored 13 of her 17 points in the opening quarter, with Rajan missing on her next eight 3-point shots after making her first attempt for the Huskies.

Sugar had 16 of her game-high 24 points in the first half, including four of her six 3-pointers, as Brentwood was 9 of 27 from behind the arc in the opening 16 minutes in comparison to Fairmont Prep making only 2 of 15 3-point attempts.

Sugar, who became the Brentwood all-time career leader in 3-point field goals Saturday, stretched the Eagles’ lead to 42-26 at halftime by connecting on a shot just inside half court at the buzzer.

Sarah Aldeguer, a junior, had 19 points and 15 rebounds, with senior Maria Mejia adding 12 points and nine rebounds for Fairmont Prep, which trailed 56-43 entering the fourth, as Rajan was held without a 3-point field goal in both the second and third quarters.

Reena White had six points and eight rebounds for Brentwood, but her defensive efforts were instrumental in Rajan – who established a new career-high with 115 3-point field goals this season – making only 4 of 15 shots from behind the arc and finishing with 20 points and seven rebounds.

Rajan, who hit 113 3-pointers last year for the Huskies, became the fifth female athlete in CIF Southern Section history and the 13th girls competitor all-time in the state to make at least 110 3-point field goals in consecutive seasons.

The 3-point field goal was incorporated into National Federation High School girls basketball contests for the first time during the 1987-88 season.

Jessica Liu, a freshman, added a pair of 3-pointers and contributed nine points, with sophomore Lei Tomatsu contributing seven points – including one 3-point field goal – for the Eagles.

Aldeguer produced a three-point play with 52 seconds remaining to help Fairmont Prep cut the deficit to 63-56, but Payton Sugar and sophomore sister Kelsey Sugar combined to make six free throws in the final 30 seconds to secure the victory for Brentwood, which still has 10 games remaining during a 16-day stretch on its schedule.

Feiman had 16 points, Payton Sugar and Tomatsu both added 15 points apiece, with White scoring 10 points for the Eagles in the win against Legacy.