Placer extends 22-game win streak with an offensive outburst from senior
Turning 18 and becoming an adult creates more responsibility.
You have the right to vote, a chance to buy a lottery ticket and you can move out of your parents’ house, if you are so inclined. For Placer High School guard Michelle Chamberlin, her new responsibility was to help the Hillmen advance to the Division III semifinals.
Her career-high 20 points on her birthday did the trick and helped the top-seeded Hillmen beat West Campus 57-47 in the Sac Joaquin Section playoffs Thursday night to improve to 26-2.
Talk about a great present.
“This win was such a nice gift for me,” Chamberlin said. “My team talked about before the game how we played (West Campus) two years ago and lost by 40. This is a whole new team and our senior core is as strong as ever. We are so close. Our team hangs out all the time off the court.”
The play in the first half by Placer however was no reason to celebrate. The Hillmen trailed 24-23 at the half in struggling to find a rhythm. But in the opening minute of the third quarter, everything changed. Hillmen guard Kylie Garten got the ball at the top of the key and buried a 3-pointer to give Placer a 26-25 lead and they never looked back.
“I told (Kylie) you have to keep shooting, I want you to shoot at least seven times,” Placer coach Tony Camillucci said. “That was such a big shot. When she made that three, it really got our whole team going.”
The Hillmen have now won 22 games in a row and haven’t lost since Dec. 12 against Enterprise of Redding.
During the streak, fans have shown up in bunches to support the Hillmen. The award-winning Placer band has been a fixture at games since the school opened in 1897 and gives Earl Crabbe Gym a festive and unique environment. Placer’s winning streak a school record. The unfinished business now is winning a section championship, which would be the program’s first since 1990. The section finals are next Friday at Golden 1 Center. The Hillmen first must face No. 5 Merced in a Monday semifinal.
“It would mean everything to win it all,” Chamberlin said. “We have played at Golden 1 before and we just want to get back there. All my teachers, family and friends are cheering our team on. The whole town is super supportive of us.”
West Campus finishes the season 21-6. The Warriors streak of four straight section finals appearances was also snapped. Senior star guard Gabby Rones scored 22 points.
“West Campus was a very, very good team,” Camillucci said. “When I saw they were an eight seed, I was scratching my head. We had our hands full all night.”