Price’s girls’ basketball team rises up to have a season to remember

The girls’ basketball season for Los Angeles Price began with four players on the roster. The team couldn’t play for two weeks until a fifth player joined.

By season’s end, Price was the Southern Section Division 5A champion with seven players on the team and made it to the Southern California Division V regional quarterfinals, losing to Chula Vista Victory Christian on Thursday night.

Coach Jillian Smith has high hopes this season will be the start of building a top program, especially behind freshman Jade Fort, who averaged 21 points a game and teamed with senior Kaziah Fletcher to lead the team to the 5A championship. The Knights finished 16-3 this season.

Smith’s nephew is Dorsey football coach Stafon Johnson. Price was once a boys’ basketball powerhouse under former coach Michael Lynch, winning 10 section titles and eight state titles.

Now Smith is hoping the girls’ program is on the way up.