Two of this week’s honorees are Deshay Gipson from Palmdale Highland & Baylee Vanderdoes from Auburn Placer. Photos: Courtesy school & James K. Leash/SportStars.
All four of our picks this week played starring roles for teams from Sacramento, Auburn, Palmdale and Chino that wrapped up league championships. One also has a brother playing big-time college football while another is averaging 22.5 points per game.
Note: For purposes of this feature, we are considering the CIF Central Section to be in the north.
To nominate a player for next week, email markjtennis@gmail.com by Monday at 12 noon and be sure to include a photo that we can use (which means it’s not from the local newspaper or from another web site).
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Solomon Young has been one of the top players in the Sacramento area for last three seasons. Photo: Paul Muyskens.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Boys Basketball Player of the Week
Solomon Young (Sacramento) Sr.
He picked a great week to score his season-high as he scored 33 points to go along with 11 rebounds and seven blocks during a 95-71 win over Burbank of Sacramento two days before we saw him play against McClatchy of Sacramento.
In that game against the Lions, which was broadcast on the Comcast Hometown Network, the 6-foot-7 senior scored 18 points and grabbed five rebounds while sitting out a good portion of the second half with the Dragons comfortably on their way to the 67-45 win.
On the year, the Iowa State-bound senior is averaging 16.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Girls Basketball Player of the Week
Baylee Vanderdoes (Placer, Auburn) Sr.
She has had some single game performances that topped what she did last week but she put together back-to-back state stat worthy performances capped off by 26 points, 13 rebounds, seven blocks and four steals during a 75-62 win over Lincoln.
Averaging 21.3 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, this 6-foot-1 senior earlier in the week had 24 points and 14 rebounds during a 69-57 win over Center of Antelope.
Vanderdoes, younger sister of UCLA defensive end Eddie Vanderdoes (who recently announced he’ll be back with the Bruins in 2016 and not entering the NFL draft), had her season high of 41 points take place during a win against West Valley of Cottonwood. She will be headed to play at San Diego State next year.
Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Boys Basketball Player of the Week
Deshay Gipson (Highland, Palmdale) Jr.
It wasn’t easy, but with Gipson leading the way with 19 points and seven rebounds, the Bulldogs edged Eastside of Lancaster last week 47-46 and clinched their fourth straight Golden League title.
In his earlier game last week, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound point guard had 27 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists in a 64-31 romp past Littlerock. And then from his final game of two weeks ago, Gipson was sizzling hot with 40 points but Highland lost by one point 72-71 to crosstown Knight of Palmdale.
For the season, Gipson is averaging 22.5 points with 8.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.
Cal-HI Sports Southern California
Girls Basketball Player of the Week
Stephanie Custodio (Chino) Sr.
A four-year varsity contributor, Stephanie had a pair of big time games last week, including a 39-point performance during a 62-50 win over Diamond Ranch of Pomona.
The eruption vs. Diamond Ranch broke her season-high of 38 points, which she scored in the very first game this season.
Later in the week, every one of Custodio’s 24 points was greatly needed in a 60-56 win over Walnut that went to double overtime. Custodio knocked down several key free throws down the stretch in a win that clinched the Hacienda League title for the Cowgirls.
The 5-foot-11 senior captain also has been averaging more than 20 points per game and started this week at 22.4.
Paul Muyskens is the Stockton office assistant editor for Cal-Hi Sports. Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
