Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week: Rhondi Naff
Steve Virgen
The words came from the top last year. The Costa Mesa High senior
backcourt duo of Nancy Hatsushi and Leigh Marshall told the wide-eyed
sophomore the hard truth.
In the 2001-02 season, the Mustangs’ girls basketball squad would be
Rhondi Naff’s team. The young girl would have to step up and be a leader
in her junior season.
Naff did step up and deliver in the Mustangs’ up-and-down-and-up
season that ended Thursday. More importantly, she attained experience in
the go-to player role, which will only make her better in her senior
season.
“I knew I had to step it up,” said Naff, a 5-foot-11 forward who
possesses a quick first step. “Last year, Nancy and Leigh were telling me
that the next year, it’s going to be time to step up. People like
Christine Caron were also stepping up this year. During December, I
started to step up.”
Naff displayed her abilities last week when she amassed 67 points in
three wins, including a 25-point performance in a 58-49 overtime victory
over Northwood in a Pacific Coast League third-place playoff game Feb. 8
at University High. The team captain solidified Daily Pilot Athlete of
the Week laurels by thriving in her role and showing coolness in the
clutch in the win over the Timberwolves.
Naff scored five of her game-high 25 points in the extra period when
the Mustangs outscored Northwood, 11-2. She nailed two free throws with
27 seconds left in regulation for a 47-45 lead. The Timberwolves answered
right back. But Naff had the final word in overtime.
She won the tipoff in overtime, which led to an outside shot, that was
banked in, by Cassey Brick. Naff later grabbed a defensive rebound, drove
coast to coast, made one of her trademark floating jumpers through the
lane and drew the foul. She hit the free throw for a 52-47 lead to show
the Mustangs were in command with 3:00 left. She made two more foul shots
and grabbed a steal down the stretch to seal the win.
“For me personally, I’ve grown a lot this year,” Naff said. “I’ve been
able to come through when we needed it. I’ve taken the team into overtime
and hit free throws down the stretch. Coaches told me that I could be one
of the best players that have played here. My senior year, I want to take
this team farther in the playoffs.”
Naff assuredly received confidence from this season. There are many
highlights to choose from. Like when Naff hit a 40-foot shot at the
buzzer to send the game into overtime when Costa Mesa defeated host
Northwood, 61-54, Jan. 29. Naff scored 19 points, dished out four assists
and recorded three steals.
Overall, Naff has scored 443 points during the regular season (16.4
points per game). She has scored in double figures 23 of the 28 games.
She had a 14 ppg. average during PCL play as she faced double teaming
throughout, but improved in the second round of PCL. In the first round
of PCL play, she scored 52 points (10.4 ppg.), but in the second round
she delivered the payback with 87 points (17.4 ppg).
“We ask a lot of her and she’s starting to relish that role,” Costa
Mesa Coach Jim Weeks said. “She wants that pressure. She wants the team
to count on her. She never gives up and she’s always playing 100%. She’s
very quick and she’s tall enough to make other teams do a lot of
different things to guard her. She’s dedicated. She has an intensity that
she wants to win.”
And to think, Naff’s career could not have been if it wasn’t for her
parents, who “kind of forced” her to try out for the National Junior
Basketball program when Rhondi was in the third grade.
“I wasn’t going to play,” said Naff, who is now an avid men’s college
basketball fan. “I tried out for the NJB team. And I loved it ever since.
I watch basketball all the time. I’m always watching basketball or going
to a basketball game. I love how the fans get into it. It’s different
from any other sport.”
Naff’s passion for the game also serves as motivation for the upcoming
offseason. She’s expecting to improve her three-point shot and refine her
dribble-drive moves to the basket. She has many goals in mind and would
like to make a greater impact before her graduation.
“I really think that she can make some huge improvements because there
are some specific things we can work with this spring and we can make
very technical changes in her shot,” Weeks said. “The key about her is
that Rhondi practices 100% and plays 100% every minute. At the end of
practices, she’s working just as hard as the start of practices.”
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