Junior guard Monica Jackson, well below her average 22 points per game, nevertheless racked up 15 points and six rebounds in her team's 60-49 victory over Taft. But it was Jackson's ball-handling skills that dazzled the crowd, once bringing them to their feet in the fourth quarter as she spun away from a defender for a layup.
Jackson played her freshman year at Sylmar High School, where she averaged 21 points per game, before transferring to Chatsworth. Coach Michelle Chevalier told the Los Angeles Daily News that she spent much of the first year helping Jackson with her defensive game. That has paid off this year.
"Monica has had interest from some Big East (colleges), and some from the Pac-10," Chevalier said Friday night. "When it comes time, she'll have a plethora of choices."
The third-leading scorer in the Championship game was 5-foot-9 sophomore Jasmine Wooten - the sister of fellow starter, senior Shelbie Wooten. Jasmine, who became a starter this year, is averaging 7.1 points per game, 2.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 steals. Friday she put up nine points.
Jasmine said she has been playing basketball since was in third grade. She names defense as her strength, and said she needs to work on her shooting. A few colleges have already expressed interest in her, but she said she isn't in a hurry to make any decisions.
"I'm going to continue to improve my game and get more confidence," she said.
Next year, with both Brandon and Shelbie Wooten gone, it will be Jackson and Jasmine Wooten's team.