Chen, Federici receive All-CIF first-team recognition

After helping lead their respective teams to deep runs into the CIF Southern Section playoffs, a pair of area girls’ basketball players have been bestowed with prestigious postseason recognition.

Courtney Chen of La Cañada and Glendale Adventist Academy’s Madison Federici received All-CIF accolades after the CIF Office unveiled the first-team selections Monday.

For Chen, she’s certainly no stranger to picking up All-CIF honors. In Federici’s case, it marked the first time she’s received recognition.

Chen, a senior guard and the reigning All-Area Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year, was tabbed to the Division III-A first team for the third straight season. Federici, a senior forward, earned a spot on the Division VI team.

“Courtney is just a fantastic athlete, who showed she could do a little bit of everything to help us be successful,” said La Cañada Coach Tamar Hill, whose team finished 24-7 and won the Rio Hondo League championship before advancing to CIF-SS semifinals and falling in the second round of the state playoffs. “She was pretty consistent with her stats.

“I think it’s a great way for her to cap her high school career. She proved once again that she could compete with many of the top players in the state.”

The University of Redlands-bound Chen, who is also the league’s most valuable player, averaged a team-best 12.5 points, four rebounds, four assists and 3.1 steals per game in 27 games.

According to maxpreps.com, Chen’s four-year point total is 1,383 points, placing her second on the program’s all-time scoring list behind Melissa Lord (1,625 points).

Federici helped Glendale Adventist enjoy a spectacular postseason run in Division VI.

While it took most of the regular season to establish itself under first-year Coach Joseph Naguit, Glendale Adventist turned the corner once the playoffs began. The Cougars were able to advance to the semifinals.

Federici often found herself leading the charge for the Cougars, who finished 8-8 and took sixth in the Liberty League. Federici averaged 16 points, eight rebounds and seven steals per contest.

Once the playoffs started, Federici proved to be Glendale Adventist’s go-to player.

“As a coach, I could see her potential right away,” Naguit said. “Her athleticism was great.
“To see her be recognized is a neat accomplishment not only for her but for the school.”