Girls’ basketball: Siera Thompson, Deandrea Toler lead Gardena Serra

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Siera Thompson had 26 points and Deandrea Toler 20 for Gardena Serra to help the Cavaliers defeat Richmond Salesian, 62-60, and win their first CIF state championship in Division IV at Sleep Train Arena.

‘I am just happy that my team was able to pull this off,’ Thompson said.

Salesian junior Mariya Moore put on one of the greatest girls’ state title game performances with 35 points and made 12 consecutive free throws down the stretch to get the Pride within one point with 2:26 left in the game.

The 35 points by Moore rank fifth all-time in CIF title game history and her 17 of 20 free-throw shooting set the record for both.

‘She was a phenomenal player in what she did,’ Serra Coach McKinsey Hadley said.

But the guard duo of Thompson and Toler kept the Cavaliers in the lead for the final three quarters.

‘I’ve been blessed to have two of the best guards in the nation.’ Hadley said.

-- Trevor Horn