What a difference one week makes in the quest for the all-time Cal-Hi Sports girls high school state scoring record that Destiny Littleton of La Jolla Bishop’s is chasing. This is what has happened since our last report a little over a week ago:
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After passing Terri Mann (3,188 points from 1984-87 at San Diego Point Loma) with a 49-point performance in a 97-57 victory against Chula Vista Bonita Vista in the championship game of the Matador Classic at Mount Miguel of Spring Valley, Littleton began her assault on two of the three players from the San Diego area still ahead of her with 3,233 points under her belt.
Destiny Littleton gives a fist pump to the crowd during CIF San Diego Section championships. Photo: Courtesy school.
On December 13, the Cal-Hi Sports State Freshman, Sophomore and Junior of the Year exploded for 68 points in a rout of San Diego Mira Mesa. That gave her 3,301 points and put her past CIF San Diego Section superstar Candice Wiggins and her 3,252 points from 2001-04 at La Jolla Country Day.
Littleton had already passed Nikki Blue (2,938 points from 1999-2002 at Bakersfield West), two-time Ms. Basketball State Player of the Year and WNBA great Diana Taurasi (3,047 points from 1997-2000 at Chino Don Lugo), Giuliana Mendiola (3,069 from 1997-200 at El Toro), 1993 Ms. Basketball Danielle Viglione (3,089 points, Fair Oaks Bella Vista in 1990 and Fair Oaks Del Campo from 1991-93), and 2006 Ms. Basketball Jacki Gemelos (3,168 points from 2003-06 at Stockton St. Mary’s).
The next day in a blowout of San Diego University City, Littleton went for 65 points and with 3,366 points she has passed another former San Diego star and that’s scoring and free-throw shooting machine Brandi Collato and her 3,325 points from 1998-2001 at Santa Fe Christian of Solana Beach. It also got her past 2005 Ms. Basketball State Player of the Year Courtney Paris (3,346 points, Modesto Christian 2002, Piedmont 2003-05).
On December 15, Littleton went for 54 points in a thrashing of San Diego Montgomery, and in the process her 3,420 points passed Danielle Orsillo and her 3,374 points from 2002-05 at Oroville Las Plumas.
Playing a fourth straight day on December 16 was the milestone game for Littleton. With 56 points in a 89-39 victory over Our Lady of Peace (San Diego), the USC-bound Littleton passed the player that is No. 1 on the Cal-Hi Sports list of all-time greatest players, Ms. Basketball in 1981 and 1982, and certainly the greatest player in USC history, Cheryl Miller and her 3,446 points from 1979-1982 at Riverside Poly.
That gave Littleton 3,476 points and in a fifth straight game on December 17, and in another big win over San Diego Scripps Ranch, she dropped in an even 50 points to put her at 3,526 points going into a December 27 game against Chula Vista Eastlake.
So where is Littleton in her chase of the top spot? She’s in what we’re calling “The Void,” and that’s because it’s looking likely that she will get to the No. 1 spot, but its a long way there and even if she maintains close to the torrid 53.8 ppg average she’s currently at it will take several more games to reach the 3,837 points from 2001-2004 of San Diego High standout, plus college and WNBA star Charde Houston and her all-time California scoring record.
Not only is Littleton chasing the career record but the single season scoring record as well. Her 1,146 points as a sophomore is No. 5 all-time on that list behind Houston’s best season of 1,161 points. The 1,178 points Littleton dropped in as a junior is No. 3 on that list behind the 1,197 of Miller.
With 592 points in an 11-0 start for Bishop’s, the 5-foot-9 senior guard would need to average 32.3 ppg from here out to eclipse the top spot of 1,300 points that Viglione scored in the 1992 season, provided the Knights play 33 games like they played last season.
If she does that, not only will Littleton be the single-season and career scoring leader in California, she will be over 4,200 points for her career. Even if she drops off and doesn’t catch Viglione, it’s looking almost certain Littleton will pass the 4,000 point mark since she needs to average around 21.5 ppg if the Knights play 33 games this season.
Note: All career and season scoring totals are from the Cal-Hi Sports Most Points (Career) record list and season totals are from the Most Points (season) list. Yes, believe it or not before the internet, someone had to look up all of these records and that someone was our founder, the late Nelson Tennis. He did that not just for girls basketball, but boys basketball, football, baseball, everything.
Harold Abend is the associate editor of CalHiSports.com and the vice president of the California Prep Sportswriters Association. He can be reached at marketingharoldabend@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @HaroldAbend
