Quartz Hill could be traveling to another tourney title
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Heading down the two-lane, High Desert sabre dance also known as Highway 138 can be really exciting. It feels great to get that huge rush of adrenaline every time a fellow motorist passes you on a double-yellow line and those Caltrans-installed rumble strips always do a great job reminding you of the treacherous path you’re treading.
In case you didn’t catch my sarcasm, let me just reiterate I haven’t had the fondest of memories traveling down the old Pearblossom Highway.
But at least the Quartz Hill girls basketball team could make its cold, wind-blown journey out to the Serrano Holiday Tournament in Phelan something to remember. Thanks to a 67-43 quarterfinal victory over the tourney host on Thursday, in which the Rebels outscored their opponent, 33-14, in the second half, Quartz Hill is off to an 8-0 start and is looking good to earn its second tourney title of the season.
I know the annual swooshing spree on the other side of the San Gabriel Mountains isn’t the biggest test around, but Quartz Hill is at least showing that it is one of the best in the High Desert. And a lot of that showing off has been done by three players in particular.
Senior guard Ashleigh Wilson, junior center Brittani Jefferson and freshman forward Brieanna Perkins have been the driving force behind the Rebels quick start. Wilson is averaging a team-best 18.5 ppg and Jefferson, who had 24 points and 18 rebounds against Lone Pine in the tournament opener, is averaging 14.4 ppg and a stunning 18.0 rpg. Perkins is second in team scoring, averaging 14.5 ppg.
With players like these in the starting five, don’t be surprised if Quartz Hill and fellow Antelope Valley cohort Knight meet up in the tourney title game on Saturday. Both are favorites to challenge for the Golden League title and the game could be a preview as to how things pan out next month.
-- Austin Knoblauch
