When it’s time for the La Salle girls basketball team to flex, you can bet senior Casey Higgins has both arms up.
Higgins dominated in La Salle’s 53-27 victory over Bonita on Tuesday, a game that featured the San Gabriel Valley’s top-ranked Lancers against the fifth-ranked Bearcats.
It was never close.
The Lancers raced to a 16-9 lead in the first quarter and put the game away by outscoring the Bearcats 19-2 in the third quarter.
The Lancers have won six in a row and improved to 7-2.
Higgins, a 6-foot-1 senior forward, finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds.
It also was a milestone night for Higgins.
Her nine rebounds put her over 1,000 for her career, as she now has 1,007. The four-year varsity player has 1,203 career points.
“A lot of kids have scored a thousand points, but to have a thousand rebounds in your career is pretty special,” La Salle coach Scott Wiard said. “It shows a lot. She doesn’t take plays off. Hopefully she has a lot more rebounds in her this season.”
Higgins is a tough matchup.
“It’s her versatility,” Wiard said. “She’s so much more than just a post player. It’s her ability to play inside and out and defend multiple positions. And of course, she’s a tremendous rebounder, so she’s a lot to deal with.”
Casey’s sister, junior Riley Higgins, finished with eight points and six rebounds, and Julianne Tan scored eight points.
The Lancers’ victory snapped a three-game win streak for Bonita (5-3). Tressa Beatty scored a team-high 14 points for the Bearcats.
When you look at Higgins’ career, she usually has her best games in the biggest games.
“You ask more of your players in big games, and we’re pleased with her ability to respond when it matters,” Wiard said. “We lean on her as a four-year starter. It’s not easy to do what she does.”
BISHOP AMAT BOYS KEEP WINNING
The Bishop Amat boys basketball team continues to play well. The Lancers won their ninth straight game Tuesday, defeating Charter Oak 70-44 in a round-robin game in the Glendora tournament.
Last year, Bishop Amat freshman Aiden Shaw turned heads and he hasn’t slowed down. He is averaging 20 points a game.
This year another talented freshman, Omar Cox-Labomme, has added to the team’s talent and depth. Cox-Labomme scored game-high 22 points in the win over Charter Oak. Vince Diaz added 12 points and Rayshaun White had 11 points.
Bishop Amat (10-1) will take on San Dimas in round-robin play Thursday. San Dimas lost to Ontario Christian, 62-39, on Tuesday.
Bishop Amat will take on Ontario Christian on Friday, with the winner likely to play in Saturday’s championship game.
Glendora (6-4) got off to a good start this week in its tournament, routing La Puente, 68-24. Moshee Loucks led the Tartans with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Max Hilgenfeldt finished with 14 points and Brock Billett and Tiago Ichase scored eight points apiece.
La Cañada’s chances of reaching the championship took a hit with a 53-52 loss to Brea Olinda. Chris Spears scored 16 points to lead the Spartans and Greyson Torres added 15 points.
Glendora takes on Brea Olinda and La Canada will face La Puente in the second round of round-robin play.