As the slew of Dos Pueblos spring sports starts up, it becomes time to reflect on the set of Winter Sports we have seen this season. The DP Girls Basketball team endured adversity, but also saw some of the best offense the program has ever seen, breaking multiple school records.
They started off the season with a 77-46 win over Morro Bay. In the first game of the season, the Chargers leading scorer that game was Taylor Grant (9), who scored 25 points in the game, with five three-pointers. Over the course of the season, Grant was a consistent player, who was a reliable three-point shooter on any given night.
A week after opening night, the team had their first of many record breaking games throughout the season. That night, on Nov. 21, 2023, they matched up against Orcutt Academy, and won 89-60, scoring 65 points in the first half, breaking DP’s record for number of points in a half.
That night they also broke the record for most points scored in a quarter for both the boys and girls, scoring 40 points in the first quarter. They also scored 10 three-pointers in one quarter, which was the most in school history for the Dos Pueblos girls basketball team. The final record they broke that night was the three-pointers in one game, which used to be 16, until they hit 18 three-pointers that night, which no boys or girls team had ever done prior to this game.
In their fifth game of the season, the girls experienced their first loss. This loss was against Piedmont who won 62-44. Piedmont was led by point guard Natalia Martinez (12), who is now committed to the Division 1 school of San Diego State University.
In the first Channel League game of the season, the girls played against Ventura High School, a team which DP has not beaten since the 1990s. It was a close game and eventually went into overtime, but the girls pulled off a win of 75-74. Justine Katz (12) led the way for the Chargers with 24 points, and as a team there were five players who scored point totals in the double digits. For Katz’s efforts, she was awarded Athlete of the Week by the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table.
Following an Athlete of the Week selection, the girls had a record breaking night against Rio Mesa High school, where they won 93-43, breaking another school record; no girls or boys team have ever scored more than 89 points in a game.
As the season went through December and into January, the girls continued to play team basketball, and would stay undefeated at home.
On Jan. 23, 2024, after three weeks of no home games, Girls Basketball hosted the Santa Barbara Dons for Senior night. It turned out to be a record breaking night for Katz and the team.
The Chargers won 82-57 against the Dons, and broke their own number of three-pointers in a game record. Katz broke the previous player record of three-pointers in a game of 8 when she scored 11 three-pointers. She also broke the points in a game record of 31, scoring a total of 38 points that night.
As the season was starting to come to a close, the Chargers, who were undefeated at home, needed to win their remaining two home games against Oxnard High School, and Buena High School to clinch Channel League.
In their final two home games, the Chargers lost back to back, both point deficits in double digits. However, since the Chargers ended up placing fourth in the Channel League Standings, they still ended up with a spot in the playoffs.
In their first round of CIF play, they went against Walnut High School. In this game, they came away with the win 57-44 which earned them a home game in round two against Cerritos High school.
Against Cerritos High School, the Chargers lost, 72-59, ending their season. In the game, DP got outmatched on the glass and in the paint. Throughout the game they were down big, but were able to bring it to within 8 points in the final minutes. It wasn’t enough though. After a Cerritos player hit a three-pointer on the left wing, the game was essentially over.
Overall, DP had a year of improvement, as they went from not making the playoffs at all, to making it to the second round. They ended their season with a record of 19-10 overall, and 9-5 in league. All of this success can be attributed to the players and coaches.
Coach Murrilo, in his second year of coaching the girls, led the team to the playoffs. Eden Wynne (9), Taylor Grant, and Asha Nayak (9), all were part of the multiple scoring records broken throughout the season.
Additionally there were the seniors of this team, Lia Papador (12), Sierra Jewell (12), Gianna Nichols (12), Savannah Riley (12), who have all been on Varsity for all of their high school careers, and Katz, who will be in the running for the Channel League MVP.
You can’t forget the rest of the team, Carly Letendre (10), who was a consistent three-point shooter all season long and was a reliable point guard, Aislinn Wilson (11), who came off the bench to back up Letendre, Lauren Robles (11), who when she got into a rhythm from the three-pointer, she wouldn’t miss.
The next year for the Chargers should be a great one. The team still will have many of the key players that brought them so far this season.
