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NEWPORT COAST — Sage Hill’s girls basketball team is beginning to find its stride after graduating four experienced players who were instrumental in building an Orange County powerhouse.
The Lightning are developing chemistry around returning point guard Amalia Holguin and sophomore Kamdyn Klamberg, and it showed Friday against visiting Portola.
Holguin scored 22 points and freshman Addison Uphoff and Klamberg added 13 and 12 points, respectively, as No. 3 Sage Hill raced past No. 14 Portola 67-37 in the Pacific Coast League for a sixth consecutive victory.
Sage Hill’s Leah O’Toner (21) and Sage Hill’s Alyssa Cuff (22) defend Portola’s Nina Saiki (10) during a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill’s Amalia Holguin (10) drives the baseline against Portola’s Nina Saiki (10) during a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill’s Addison Uphoff (23) gets fouled by Portola’s Amelia Booth (34) during a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill’s bench celebrates a 3-point basket by Sage Hill’s Finley Callero (5) during a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill’s Kamdyn Klamberg (33) drives past Portola’s Nina Saiki (10) to the basket during a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill’s Eve Fowler (42) shoots over Portola’s Bianca Morrell (23) during a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill’s Alyssa Cuff (22) gets lonely guarded by Portola’s Nina Saiki (10) during a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill’s Amalia Holguin (10) gets the attention of Portola’s Nina Saiki (10) and Portola’s Bianca Morrell (23) during a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill’s Amalia Holguin (holding poster), celebrates her 1000 point mark with her teammates before a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill’s Addison Uphoff (23) gets fouled by Portola’s Amelia Booth (34) during a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill’s Amalia Holguin (10) drives to the basket through two Portola defenders during a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill’s Amalia Holguin (10) drives to the basket past Portola’s Kara Niho (5) during a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill’s Leah O’Toner (21) gets control of the ball as Portola’s Nina Saiki (10) defends during a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill’s Eve Fowler (42) gets double-teamed by Portola’s Nina Saiki (10) and Portola’s Amelia Booth (34) during a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill’s head coach Kerwin Walters during a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill’s Amalia Holguin (10) bring the ball up court through Portola’s Yuri Ha (2) and Portola’s Nina Saiki (10) during a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill’s head coach Kerwin Walters confers with his coaching staff during halftime of a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
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Sage Hill’s Leah O’Toner (21) and Sage Hill’s Alyssa Cuff (22) defend Portola’s Nina Saiki (10) during a girls basketball game between Portola High and Sage Hill High in a Pacific Coast League contest at Sage Hill High School on Friday Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sage Hill (14-7, 5-0) hasn’t lost since a 63-46 setback against Fairmont Prep on Jan. 4.
“We’re finally clicking with each other and it’s all coming together,” said Holguin, who was honored pregame for reaching 1,000 career points earlier this season. “We have a lot of young players so it’s just building that chemistry, building our team.”
“It’s just a time thing,” the junior added.
The Lightning started two juniors, a sophomore and two freshmen as they rebuild following the graduations of Zoie Lamkin, Kat Righeimer, Annabelle Spotts and Emily Eadie.
Sage Hill coach Kerwin Walters agreed that teams need time to grow but added that the squad “recalibrated” its goals and standards after the loss to Fairmont Prep.
“Everyone is eager to play defense,” he said. “I love our team. I think the team is going to be wickedly dangerous come very soon.”
In extending its league winning to 17 games, Sage Hill’s path Friday included outshooting the Bulldogs from the beyond the arc, controlling the paint and a dominant second period.
Holguin hit 4 of 7 of her 3-pointer attempts to help the Lightning finish with eight overall. Portola (11-14, 3-2), known for its shooting, tallied six 3-pointers.
Junior guard Kara Niho paced Portola with four 3-pointers while Nina Saiki added two. Niho scored 17 points to lead the Bulldogs. who lost guard Madi Nguyen to an injury late in the second period.
Klamberg grabbed a team-high seven rebounds and received support from freshman post Eve Fowler (six rebounds) and Isabella Rose (five rebounds). Portola’s Amelia Booth grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.
Sage Hill outscored Portola 17-2 in the second period to lead 36-12 at intermission.
“Still the Yankees (of the Pacific Coast League),” Portola coach Brian Barham said of Sage Hill. “If you’re going to hit more 3’s than us, we’re in trouble.”
Sage Hill especially showed its growth after Holguin exited early in the first period with two fouls. The Lightning outscored Portola 14-8 with Holguin on the bench.
Sage Hill faces another test Saturday against Centennial and post Cydnee Bryant, who briefly played for the Lightning two seasons ago. The teams face off in a showcase at Los Osos High at 5:30 p.m.
