CIF-SS DIV. 4A GIRLS BASKETBALL FINALS – One scoring run by Pilibos too much for La Mirada to overcome in finals debut

Senior Jael Arreguin, sophomore Jordin Shaw, La Mirada High head coach Victoria Luong and senior Emily Gonzalez at last Friday’s postgame press conference after Pilibos defeated the Matadores 55-40 in the CIF-Southern Section Division 4A championship game. PHOTO BY LOREN KOPFF.

Mar 3, 2025

By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X

AZUSA-La Mirada High and Pilibos High had never played each other and had never seen each other this season. The only time each school saw the other came in the few days of film watching prior to last Friday’s CIF-Southern Section Division 4A finals at the Felix Event Center on the campus of Azusa Pacific University.

With so much uncertainty, all it took was an 11-0 run by Pilibos in a span of 2:29 to all but seal the first championship for the Eagles in a 55-40 decision over the Matadores, also making their first appearance in a girls basketball title game. Senior Jael Arreguin’s three-pointer, the team’s lone perimeter basket of the game 11 seconds into the second quarter, put La Mirada up 11-10. Nearly two minutes later, a basket from senior Emily Gonzalez made it a 15-13 affair with Pilibos in the lead. After that, Pilibos ran through La Mirada’s defense for 11 straight points, capped by a three-pointer from Sevana Keuroghlian, making the score 26-13. La Mirada would get its deficit under 10 points just once the rest of the game, and that came over 90 seconds later when Gonzalez scored for the second time within a 38-second span.

“First time in school history that we made it to the championship game [and] I’m so proud of the these for the fight and the heart that they put in,” said La Mirada head coach Victoria Luong. “It’s a tough loss, as with any game, nonetheless a championship game. I’m super proud of how far these girls have come.”

“It’s hard; it’s really, really hard,” said Arreguin as she was trying to hold back the tears. “Being one of the nine seniors on varsity right now; being on varsity all four years, I dreamed of coming this far. It really sucks we fell short. I tried my best…but sometimes we don’t get what we want. All I can say is that I played my heart out and I left it out on the court.”

The Matadores (20-11) had built a 6-3 lead with 2:44 left in the first quarter behind a pair of baskets from Gonzalez and one by Arreguin. But the Matadores would go scoreless for the final 2:05 of the stanza. When the team’s came out of their respective locker rooms to begin the second half, Gonzalez continued her hot shooting by scoring two straight baskets in the first 63 seconds of the half.

But the Mid-Cities League champions, who entered the game on an 11-game winning streak, trailed 32-17 at the half, found themselves trading basket for basket in the third quarter and were unable to get closer than 11 points the remainder of the game.

“In that second quarter, I think there were a lot of emotions that we just couldn’t close out on those three’s,” said Luong. “Some of those shots, defensively…we just weren’t there, and it was a fight. I think in the third quarter, it was basket for basket kind of a deal; just back and forth, and it was just a fight. [Pilibos] didn’t let up and it was just a struggle [for us] in the third quarter.”

Defensively, the Matadores have been solid over the past two months, allowing at least 50 points three times before last Friday, and their four playoff victories have been by an average of 13 points. However, the Eagles beat La Mirada at its own game, which was the perimeter shooting. Arreguin’s three-pointer was the only one the team would connect on in 13 attempts while Pilibos was seven of 22 from beyond the arc. Of those seven, five came in the first half with two coming from Lara Kasbarian.

“There’s been games where we had players hit eight three’s and baskets weren’t going in tonight,” said Luong.

Arreguin, the team’s feisty spark plug leader this season, led the Matadores with 19 points, including all 11 La Mirada scored in the fourth quarter and had three assists while Gonzalez added 18 points and 14 rebounds despite getting into foul trouble in the first half. Senior Destiny Elmore had nine rebounds while Arreguin grabbed seven boards.

“I really had to find my rhythm on defense to make sure I wouldn’t [pick up another foul],” said Gonzalez of the second half. “There were a lot of times where I would keep my hands up and not move.”

“I definitely think I was making the right choices, but it was a little late [in the game],” said Arreguin. “I just saw they were letting me drive, so I just took it every time. I didn’t want to let up, but it was too late. That hurts, but I know, regardless, I played my game, and I went out and gave what I love.”

Despite the loss, the Matadores are still smiling at the historic season that still isn’t done yet. They will travel to top-seeded Cantwell Sacred Heart of Mary High on Tuesday in the first round of the CIF Division 4 Southern California Regionals. The Cardinals lost to El Toro High 52-48 last Saturday in the Division 3A championship game.

It bears repeating the rise in the La Mirada girls basketball program. When Arreguin, Gonzalez and Nayeli Tamayo were freshmen, the Matadores were 2-12 and lost all six Suburban League games. The next season, they were 10-12 and 4-6 in the Mid-Cities League and last season, La Mirada finished 22-7, lost to Colton High in the semifinals by a point and won a Southern California Regional game at home.by 20 points. Luong, who played at La Mirada in the early 2000s, has seen more lows than highs, both on and off the court, in the program over the past two decades.

“When I played in high school 20-something years ago, we didn’t have what we have now,” said Luong. “When I look at when I played in high school…these girls have heart, and they really developed, and they really wanted it. Just to see what the program become what it is today…these girls have [made] school history for the last two years. They’ve done everything. It’s just one thing after another and these girls have put everything they’ve got into the program.”

“This group is special,” said sophomore Jordin Shaw, who led La Mirada with five assists and a pair of steals. “We’ve been making history since last year and they were very welcoming to me last year when I was a freshman. I fit right in and gelled really well together. I’m just going to transition that to next year. The expectations are still going to be the same no matter who’s playing and who’s not. I’m very thankful to be playing with this group.”