8th grade girls basketball: Tewinkle wins with the future

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - If high school girls basketball coaches in Orange

County wanted to get an idea of the area’s future talent, Wednesday’s

Eighth Grade district championship at Costa Mesa High would be a good

place to start.

Tewinkle Intermediate’s team featured Imelda Pena, Becca Harris and

Siena Arellanes, who led their team to a 39-22 victory over Dwyer to win

the championship and remain undefeated at 7-0.

Luckily for Estancia High, Pena will be playing for the Eagles next

year. She finished with a game-high 16 points. Harris and Arellanes plan

to play at Edison and scored 7 and 12 points, respectively.

Dwyer’s standout, Katia Hadj-Hamou will probably end up at Huntington

Beach and she led her team with 12 points.

But it was Tewinkle’s trio of standouts who made the difference in the

game. When the Trojans needed a big bucket they would look to Pena, who

hit four three-pointers, two in each half. After she hit a three-pointer

to increase Tewinkle’s lead to 21-14 in the third quarter, Pena pumped

her arms up and down, raising the roof.

“Coach always tells us to relax and have fun out there,” she said. “I

just wanted to raise the roof.”

The Trojans took control of Dwyer in the second quarter. Though

Tewinkle began the quarter behind, 6-4, the Trojans turned the tide with

defense, breaking Dwyer’s full-court press to outscore the Oilers, 12-5.

Arellanes collected a steal and finished with a layup to begin the

run. Harris ended the run with another steal and layup play to take a

16-11 halftime lead.

The Trojans continued their momentum in the second half as they

maintained their lead and drove to a win when they outscored the Oilers

11-2 in the final quarter.

“This is the most nicest fun group I’ve ever worked with,” Tewinkle

Coach Judy Gibson said. “They complement each other so well.”

Tewinkle’s championship team includes Evelyn Flores, Kiley Hall,

Hillary Larsen, Raeanne Pfeifer, Sonia Rodriguez, Erika Ruiz, Bianca

Vargas and Elise Carroll.

NEWPORT-MESA DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP

Eighth Grade Girls Basketball

Tewinkle 39, Dwyer 22

Dwyer 6 5 9 2 - 22

Tewinkle 4 12 12 11 - 39 Dwyer - Hadj-Hamou 12.

Tewinkle - Pena 16, Arellanes 12, Harris 7, Larsen 2, Ruiz 2.