HIGH SCHOOL NOTEBOOK

Might as well hand her the award now.

Valerie Pina, the speedy point guard at Valencia High, has been accruing unofficial votes for Foothill League player of the year.

Pina made a late three-pointer Tuesday against Burroughs to help Valencia take a huge step toward its first girls’ basketball title.

“She gets my vote for the league MVP on that shot,” said Coach Doug Nicol of Burroughs.

Pina, averaging 10.9 points and 5.3 assists per game, impressed Hart Coach Dave Munroe when the Vikings beat Hart last week for the second time this season.

Coach Jerry Mike of Valencia can’t vote for his own players, but he realizes Pina’s value.

“She’s good at finding the seam and getting through them,” Mike said. “She creates the tempo. Teams don’t press us because of her.”

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Trying to find Clint Hamblin?

He’s probably in the Village Christian gym.

Hamblin, the unofficial gym rat of the Crusaders, has invested plenty on his outside shot. It appears to have paid off.

Hamblin averages 18.5 points and has made 65 of 179 shots (36.3%) from three-point range.

“He spends a lot of time by himself, working on his shot,” said Coach Patrick Hamblin of Village Christian, who is Clint’s older brother. “He’s been doing that since elementary school.”

The Village Christian girls’ team is also not shy about shooting three-pointers.

Karri Keeble, who has made 50 of 248 three-point shots (20.2%) for the Village Christian girls’ team, leads the region in three-point attempts.

shots in girls’ basketball.

suited both programs well.

The boys are second in the Alpha League and the girls lead the league after defeating Paraclete last week.

“Both teams have been coming on strong lately,” Patrick Hamblin said.