Imperial proud! Tigers advance to first ever CIF State Championship game
The Imperial girls basketball team claimed their first CIF Division IV South Region Championship with a win over Yucca Valley on Tuesday night.
YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - The Imperial Tigers girls basketball team has quite the Cinderella story. From never winning a CIF state playoff game to winning the CIF Southern Regional Championships. Now off to the CIF State Championship in Sacramento on Saturday.
Tuesday night the lady tigers defeated top seed Yucca Valley High School Trojans, a team they previously defeated in 2019, for the CIF Southern Regional Championship.
"This is just incredible," Tiger Head Coach Rich Ponchione said. "The girls have worked hard. We go and play summer ball, fall ball, we just go out and play and get as much experience as we can because you never know what you're going to see in the game, like tonight it got close."
In the first half, Trojan senior Maliah Rodriguez started off the game with a 3-pointer but the Tigers Cardona sisters turned around with a balanced attack. Junior Xiomara Cardona answered right back with a 3-pointer, signaling the Tigers were ready to play. On the Tigers second possession, freshman Nayeli Cardona's lay up broke a 5-5 tie. Behind the Cardona sisters and strong play from Georgia Gomez and Amy Riley, the Tigers lead at the half 31-22.
"I knew they had recognized I was shooter in the beginning of the game so I knew I had to take my chances in the beginning," Nayeli Cardona said. "When they didn't really know what was going on and shoot and hope they go in."
It was the right mix of scoring from the Tiger's supporting cast as the Trojans shut down leading scorer Sierra Morris.
In the second half, the Trojans came out strong and battled back, trailing by seven points and nine points, the top seeded Trojans went on a handful of scoring runs and eventually tied the game at 37 to start the fourth quarter.
Once again Imperial went on a mini run, grabbing a six point 43-37 lead with 5:50 left to play.
Imperial would never trail and clung to a 48-46 lead with under a minute to play. The game now would be won or lost at the free throw line, just as it was two days prior against Trinity Classical academy.
It was a game where every Tiger player stepped up to the challenge. With :40 seconds remaining, Imperial sophomore Georgia Gomez was fouled and with ice in her veins, made both free throws, extending the Tiger's late lead to four.
After a failed three point attempt by Yucca Valley with :20 seconds to play, junior Sierra Morris grabbed her most important rebound of the season. Her outlet pass to Xiomara Cardona then found Gomez who once again was fouled and put back on the line.
Again the sophomore rose to the challenge, making both free throws again, increasing the Tiger lead to six. Gomez didn't fill the stat sheet or even score in double figures but her play down the stretch helped guide the Tigers to a date in the state championship game.
It was a true total team effort, leading scorer Sierra Morris was held to only 8 points but her defense and rebounding played a huge role, especially down the stretch.
The team spread out the scoring with Nayeli Cardona scoring 14 pts, Amy Riley added 10 pts, Xiomara Cardona pitched in with 9 points.
The Cardona sisters were on a roll and unstoppable early, setting the tone in yet another road win and upset on the path to the state final.
"Because we're sisters I always know where she is on the court," Xiomara Cardona said. "She's the one that makes the shots and I pass it to her and I take that as a very serious job."
"Those two are just tenacious," Head coach Rich Ponchione said. "They're smart, they're quick, they're strong. They're not the biggest but they're strong and they just know how to play defense and we rely on them a lot."
The dream season continues for the Tigers, after knocking off the top three seeds in the region, Imperial is now 4-0 in the state playoffs. Never before had they ever won a state playoff game and now this team of destiny finds themselves in the CIF State Division IV championship game. The south Region champions will now face the North Region champions, the Bulls of Branson High school from Ross, California.
No matter the outcome, this team will forever be remembered in the Imperial Valley, showing the grit and determination this community and the blue collar valley prides itself on.
The Tigers will play in Sacramento at the Golden One Center, the home of the Sacramento Kings, on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. PST
