March 3, 2008

UCLA signees Atonye Nyingifa and Rebekah Gardner have led their high school teams to the CIF State Tournament, which begins this week. Nyingifa's Redondo Union HS team is the No. 1 seed in the Southern California Regional, and Gardner's Ayala HS team is the No. 2 seed in Division II. The two future Bruin teammates could face each other in the Southern California finals on Mar. 8 at the Sports Arena.

Nyingifa's team will host Edison HS (Fresno) in the Southern California Regional on Tuesday, Mar. 4. Redondo Union (27-3) won the CIF Southern Section Division I-A title on Friday night, defeating Mira Costa HS in the championship game, 56-42. Nyingifa led all players with 26 points and 19 rebounds and added three assists and three steals to bookend her career with CIF titles her freshman and senior seasons.

Gardner's team advanced to the CIF-SS Division II-A final with a chance to defend its title but was edged out by Cajon, 51-47. Ayala (27-5) will play at CIF Central Section champion Centennial HS (Bakersfield) on Tuesday. Gardner, who was the 2007 CIF Division II-A Player of the Year, is averaging 20.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.1 steals for Ayala.

Nyingifa and Gardner signed national letters-of-intent in the early signing period and will join UCLA for the 2008-09 season.