Highland Makes It Personal in Win

This was not just any basketball game. This was personal.

The Highland High girls’ basketball team had been the Golden League doormat ever since joining the league in 1992, and no one had walked all over the Bulldogs more than perennial league champion Palmdale.

So, it was with great pride that the Bulldogs ended six years of frustration along with Palmdale’s 39-game league winning streak Thursday night at Highland.

The Bulldogs’ 54-29 rout of the Falcons was their first over their nemesis and marked the first league loss for Palmdale since Feb. 10, 1994.

How far has Highland come?

Forward Kameelah Purdom, Highland’s only senior, remembers vividly a 57-6 loss to the Falcons last season.

“This was revenge,” said Purdom, who scored a game-high 22 points. “I’ve been waiting all year for this. They embarrassed me [last year.]”

The Bulldogs (18-5, 8-2 in league play) almost ended Palmdale’s streak on Jan. 22, jumping out to an 11-0 lead before falling, 41-40, at Palmdale.

It was one of four comeback victories for the Falcons (14-12, 9-1) in league play this season. They rallied to beat Littlerock, 45-44, Tuesday to clinch their fourth consecutive league title.

“Streaks are nice but they have to end sometime,” Palmdale Coach George Corisis said. “Highland deserved to win, they’re very talented, very athletic and very well coached.”

Under first-year Coach Tim Knight, the Bulldogs have erased memories of a program that had entered the season with only six league victories in its history, a program that had played weak nonleague schedules, and still was 16-31 over the past two seasons.

The play of junior center Tiffany Winkfield has been critical.

Winkfield, who missed much of the past two seasons with knee problems, recovered from a sprained ankle suffered earlier in the week to score 15 points. Guard Mae Bidaure added nine points.

Vonetta Lanier scored 13 points for Palmdale. Summer Hoban and Brandy Smith, who each average in double figures, combined to score five points.

“Our girls just seemed very determined tonight,” Knight said. “And now they’ve tasted success.”