Leading Lady

The camerawork was uneven, but the film’s star put together a work of art.

She opened with flair, pivoting right, crossing left and connecting on an off-balance jump shot. She ended with style, making a three-point shot in the waning minutes to put Chino Don Lugo in prime position for a come-from-behind victory.

Between those baskets, a dazzling array of drives, offensive rebounds and half-court passes defined Latara Darrett’s performance Thursday night at San Dimas High, the temporary location of her father’s video shoot.

Like any ambitious leader, Darrett tried to motivate her supporting cast. “Stop messing around out there. Let’s play!” she barked to teammates midway through a sloppy first half.

Like any good director, Eugene Darrett demanded perfection: “Watch your shot, you’re flicking your shot!” he hollered at his daughter late in the second quarter after she missed four consecutive field-goal attempts.

She found her touch, but Don Lugo didn’t in a 61-58 semifinal loss to tournament host San Dimas. Darrett, who had one of her lowest scoring outputs of the season, still managed an impressive line -- 18 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals and one rolled ankle.

Her rare, momentary lapses gave her father an excuse to offer instruction while he reviewed the tape with his daughter, as they do after each game. The rest of the video is pure entertainment, a highlight reel of Darrett, last season’s state freshman of the year.

Darrett had 24 points and six steals in leading Don Lugo (6-2) to a 63-59 victory over Diamond Bar on Friday for third place in the tournament.

More than 150 college coaches have already sent recruiting letters to the Darrett household, and the Connecticut Huskies might have the best shot. They have returning national player of the year Diana Taurasi, who graduated from Don Lugo in 2000 and has maintained communication with “little sister” Darrett.

The Taurasis and Darretts are neighbors in Chino, separated by the school’s grounds but connected by their daughters’ basketball aptitudes. While in sixth grade, Latara was a ball girl for the Taurasi-led Don Lugo team. Last off-season, Taurasi urged Darrett to break her all-time school scoring average of 30 points.

Darrett, who is averaging just over 25 points and eight assists, has a shot at surpassing that mark (she had a 40-point performance earlier in the season) and is hearing the comparisons.

“It’s a great honor,” said Darrett, a 5-foot-10 sophomore point guard. “I’ve modeled myself after [Diana]. We both have the ability to break open a game.”

Darrett is a 15-year-old with a college athlete’s build and a professional ballplayer’s mind-set -- she tosses diagonal passes through the key, backs down defenders in the paint and often responds to baskets with a sour expression if the ball grazes the rim.

“She has a basketball face,” said Eugene, an assistant on Latara’s AAU team, the Monterrey Park Heat. “When she isn’t happy, you can see it.”

That face has been a work in progress since age 4, when Darrett started playing basketball. Back then, she wouldn’t give up the ball. That’s no longer a problem.

“It’s a wonderful experience coaching her,” said Carmen Caffey, Don Lugo’s first-year coach. “She’s a well-rounded player who thinks of herself last.”

That’s partially thanks to her mother, Sherrell, who helps Darrett stay humble.

“She gets frustrated some times with her teammates,” Darrett’s mother said. “I tell her, ‘You do what you have to do. As long as you feel like you’ve played your hardest, it’s OK.’ ”

Things might have been different had Darrett stayed at Chino Hills Ayala, where she averaged 20 points her freshman season on a team loaded with talent.

But that is now irrelevant.

Darrett’s father was diagnosed with cancer in September 2001. He had one tumor in his left clavicle and three in his lower back. When his condition worsened earlier this year, Darrett decided to transfer to Don Lugo -- a move that put her only a block from home.

“At first I didn’t want to leave, but once I figured my dad needed me, it was an obvious choice,” Darrett said.

The cancer in Darrett’s father is in remission and he said he feels better than ever. He plans to accompany Darrett across the country this summer as they attend basketball showcase camps.

For now, Darrett is concentrating on life in a leading role.

“I have to make the best of this situation,” she said. “I’m the leader here, and players look up to me.”