SENSATIONAL SEASON: San Clemente senior Kristen Riley averaged 15.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists to lead the Tritons to the South Coast League title and the semifinals of the Division I-a playoffs. PAUL BERSEBACH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTEr Kristen Riley at a glanceSan Clemente Stats: 32 games, 483 points, 324 rebounds, 98 assists (Click to see more stats) |
San Clemente's Riley tops all-county girls team
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The senior was a versatile, hard-working leader for the Tritons.
Kristen Riley would sit in the bleachers watching her older sister, Lauren, play for San Clemente when she was growing up.
Lauren was able to help her team win two CIF-SS Division I-A championships.
“That was really exciting because she played with (three-time Register player of the year) Lindsey Pluimer,” Kristen Riley said. “It was something I was really looking forward to.”
There were a lot of expectations when Riley arrived at San Clemente even though the Pluimer era was over.
“I wasn't even sure if I was going to be on varsity my freshman year,” Riley said. “I didn't know if I was going to be JV or varsity. When I finally got chosen for varsity it was like, ‘OK, I got to step up now and try my best.'”
Riley was a raw talent as a freshman and sophomore, but she blossomed as a junior and senior to become one of the top players in the county.
She helped San Clemente capture the South Coast League title, reach the Division I-A semifinals and qualify for the CIF Division I state tournament. Her efforts on the court earned her The Register's award as the 2007-08 girls basketball player of the year.
“It's been an awesome ride,” Riley said. “There has been highs and lows, a lot of great games and not-so-great losses. But overall it was an awesome experience. I have grown a lot as a person and as a basketball player. It's been so much fun.”
Riley has added to her game every season. She showed flashes as a freshman and sophomore, but at times was tentative.
She became the team's unquestioned leader as a junior when she led the Tritons to the Division I-A championship. She was named the Division I-A player of the year last season.
“It was amazing,” Riley said. “That was definitely the highlight of my time at San Clemente because we weren't expected to win CIF that year. It was a big surprise and we worked so hard and earned it.”
Riley continued her development this season. She averaged 15.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game this season. She also made her teammates around her better by averaging 3.1 assists.
It was her ability to post up players and get tough baskets and rebounds in the paint and her ability to step out and knock down mid-range jumpers that made her one of the more difficult matchup problems for opposing teams.
She also played great defense, getting 2.0 steals and 1.9 blocked shots per game.
“She did everything for us,” San Clemente coach Mary Mulligan said.
Riley credits her constant improvement to her teammates and the level of opposition she faced.
“Playing with these girls (at San Clemente) and playing with these really tough girls from around the county and then my coaches, obviously, helping me and getting me focused every day in practice,” Riley said. “It was just an accumulation of everything I've learned. It's all because of the team. That's how I think about it.”
Riley always came through for her team against top-10 opponents.
She had 16 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks in the first game against Foothill. She came up with 31 points, 17 rebounds and three assists against Santa Margarita. She had 16 points, three assists, five steals and five blocks against Esperanza. After being on the bench with foul trouble for most of the first half against La Jolla Country Day, she finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds to rally the Tritons to a 44-43 victory.
She had 26 points and seven rebounds in San Clemente's semifinal loss to Redondo Union of Redondo Beach, but she came back with 24 points and 13 rebounds in the Tritons' regional victory over Poway.
Riley will continue her basketball career at Brigham Young. The toughest part will be leaving her friends.
“Me, Shelby (Pederson) and Andrea (Wertz) have always been together since freshman year,” Riley said. “Jacqui (Marshall) and Cassie (Harberts) came along. We've been the core of the team. It's been amazing. You mix us all together and you come up with a great team.”
Contact the writer: carias@ocregister.com
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