Lippert prepares to lead Dons upward
By: TOM SHANAHAN - For the North County Times | ∞
LA JOLLA ---- Picture two graphs, one reflecting Victoria Lippert's scoring average and the other the season win total for Cathedral Catholic High's girls basketball team.
In the 2007-08 season, Lippert's scoring average could take a downturn from the upward ascent it followed last year as a sophomore, when she averaged 24.0 points a game and was an All-CIF first-team choice.
But that doesn't necessarily mean the graph reflecting Cathedral's win total will turn downward. In fact, Lippert and the Lady Dons are counting on being a better team than last year's group that finished 26-6 and was the CIF San Diego Section Division III runner-up to Mount Miguel.
"That has been the theme for the summer: We can't rely on one player to carry our team," said Melissa Padgett, Cathedral's second-year coach. "We need the other four people on the court to be able to counter when they take away our top scorer."
Cathedral received such balanced scoring in the 21st annual San Diego Classic, which concluded for the Lady Dons on Sunday with a 46-40 win over Saugus at UC San Diego's RIMAC Arena.
Cathedral finished tied for 17th out of 96 schools competing in the 3A Division of the 352-team tournament that is the largest high school event in the nation.
It was the best finish by a North County high school in a field that featured teams from throughout the West and as far east as Ohio.
Lippert, a 5-foot-11 guard, scored 16 points, with her points spread throughout the two 20-minute halves played with a running clock. MacKenzie Mathias, a 5-6 senior-to-be, added 11.
"I feel it's my responsibility to help my team the best I can," Lippert said. "If we're having trouble getting to the basket, I take it upon myself to do something, even if it means setting up someone else with a pass." Ý
There's no hiding Lippert on the court or in the recruiting game. With two high school seasons remaining, she's already on the radar screen of Pac-10 schools, and with her 4.3-grade-point average, that includes Stanford. San Diego State and the University of San Diego also are interested.
Lippert can be a four-time All-CIF pick after being honored as a freshman at Rancho Bernardo. Her family then moved to Carmel Valley last year, and she transferred to Cathedral.
"I haven't really thought about picking a college yet," Lippert said. "I'm working on my ball-handling, getting stronger and finishing closer to the basket. Last year was a great year for us, and we're continuing to grow and get better. We're looking forward to next year."
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