Hinojosa Leads Way for Southern Section

It was all in a day’s work for Damaris Hinojosa of Moorpark High on Saturday night in the third annual Battle of the Valley Senior All-Star basketball game.

At halftime, Hinojosa won a three-point shooting contest, and in the second half she scored seven of her 13 points to help the Southern Section all-stars hold on for an 85-75 victory over the City Section at Cal State Northridge.

Hinojosa, an All-Southern Section Division II selection who will attend Pepperdine in the fall, also had seven rebounds and a game-high eight assists.

But The Times’ Ventura County player of the year admitted it was a struggle in the first half.

“I just wasn’t producing on the offensive end,” Hinojosa said. “I think it was the three-point contest that must have done it.”

The Southern Section opened up a 19-point lead late in the first half and led, 48-32, at halftime.

Behind the efforts of North Hollywood’s Markia Derby and Tashean Thomas, the City pulled to within four points three times in the final five minutes.

But Hinojosa, selected most valuable player for the Southern Section, scored four points in the final 3:25 and her team held on.

The Southern Section was also sparked by Omelogo Udeze of Harvard-Westlake, The Times’ Valley player of the year. Udeze scored 16 points and had 11 rebounds. Briana Kentfield of Hart scored 13 points.

Derby was the game’s leading scorer and rebounder with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Thomas, selected most valuable player for the City, had 15 points and seven assists. Cara Blumfield of El Camino Real scored 12 points.

Derby and Thomas each came through with 12 points in the second half, but the City made only 29 of 88 shots (33%) in the game.