LA JOLLA – On the home side of the gymnasium at La Jolla Country Day School behind the Torreys’ bench, there is a rock-climbing wall that student-athletes of all ages can use to work on speed, strength and adaptability.
Mission Hills was perfectly content Tuesday night to just stay grounded and use every inch of the 84-foot-by-50-foot court at rival La Jolla Country Day to continue its climb back to the top of the girls basketball landscape in the CIF-San Diego Section Open Division.
The third-seeded Grizzlies scored 10 unanswered points in a four-minute span in the opening quarter and never relinquished control, combining 12 3-point field goals with tenacious half-court defense to produce a 63-42 semifinal triumph against No. 2 La Jolla Country Day (17-11), their third straight win against the Torreys, as well as their most lopsided victory in the all-time series.
Mission HIlls (22-8), the reigning Open Division champion, will square off at 5 p.m. Friday against top-seeded Francis Parker (20-8) – a 51-39 semifinal winner Tuesday against No. 4 Westview (20-9) – at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside.
The Grizzlies, who secured a 65-61 triumph Dec. 13 against Francis Parker, are attempting to become the only basketball program – regardless of gender – in San Diego Section history with five Open Division titles since the bracket was introduced in 2014, even more impressive considering veteran coach Chris Kroesch lost all five starters from last year’s championship roster.
The Lancers, who don’t boast a senior on the roster, are trying to follow their Division 2 section crown last season by adding the program’s first Open Division title this season.
Mission Hills prevailed by a 63-56 margin against the Torreys in last year’s Open Division final.
Mission Hills girls basketball team | Photo courtesy of Mission Hills
The Grizzlies were presented the unfavorable task of earning their first Open Division semifinal win at La Jolla Country Day since a 61-45 victory in 2019.
But that challenge only provided more drive and determination for Mission Hills, which broke a 5-5 tie in the first quarter with Lyndsey Rogers hitting back-to-back 3-pointers, bookended by layups from Bay Cordova and Maleena Nava to achieve a 10-point run and seize the momentum.
Despite junior guard Safiyah Sugapong scoring 13 of her team-high 14 points in the second quarter for the Torreys, Mission Hills was still able to increase its lead to 34-24 at halftime, due in large part to the Grizzlies connecting on seven first-half 3-point field goals.
La Jolla Country Day was never able to cut the deficit to fewer than eight points the entire second half, with Mission Hills continuing to disrupt the Torreys on offense, in addition to relying on a balanced offensive attack that featured four athletes scoring at least 11 points and multiple other competitors contributing six points each.
A pair of free throws in the final 30 seconds of the third quarter by Princeton-bound junior Mei-Ling Perry, who finished with 10 points and nine rebounds, helped the Torreys remain within striking distance at 48-35.
But Mission Hills allowed only two fourth-quarter baskets and held La Jolla Country Day without a field goal for the final four minutes to pull away.
Nava had 10 of her game-high 16 points in the fourth quarter, including the final 3-pointer for the Grizzlies with less than a minute remaining.
Rogers added 13 points and five rebounds, in addition to making three 3-pointers, with HC Harding and Cordova both contributing 11 points apiece for the Grizzlies.
Harding also had five rebounds and connected on three 3-point field goals for Mission Hills.
Izzy Medina produced six points, six rebounds and five steals for the Grizzlies, with Kalea Bacho also scoring six points, as both athletes hit a pair of 3-pointers, helping Mission Hills increase its state-leading total to 399 entering the Open Division championship game.
The Grizzlies also led the state last season with 406 3-pointers and have the potential to challenge the California all-time mark of 425 achieved in 2017 by The Bishop’s School of La Jolla, depending on the longevity of Mission Hills’ state playoff run.
Mahlia Washington scored eight points, with Atlanta Bass-Sulpizio adding six points and 14 rebounds for La Jolla Country Day, which last won an Open Division section title in 2023.