The fourth-year senior starter and the rest of the Spartans were up for the challenge last week in the SoCal Holiday Prep Classic hosted at various sites in San Diego County.
They won all three games and wrapped up their pre-league schedule at 14-0, continuing the hottest start in program history. Porter played a big part in Lathrop’s run to the NAIA Gold Bracket championship, averaging 18 points on 23-of-43 shooting (53.5%), 12.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals to earn MVP honors.
The 5-foot-9, do-it-all forward stood out on an upstart team bolstered by four talented freshmen
“She was locked in down there,” Lathrop coach Dwayne Davis said. “Sometimes, you yell out there on the floor to the kids and you wonder if they hear you — she heard everything.
“She had a really good run. It was good to see, because she became that senior that said, ‘I got you.’ She responded in every game.”
Lathrop opened with a 54-32 rout of Culver City (6-8) on Tuesday, Dec. 27. Porter produced 18 points and 11 rebounds while shooting an efficient 7-of-11 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.
Two days later, she contributed 13 points, nine rebounds and four steals in a 54-44 win over San Diego-based Academy of Our Lady of Peace (11-3).
Porter saved her best effort last. In the championship, she amassed a career-high 23 points and 17 rebounds, as the Spartans held off El Toro (13-5) from Lake Forest, 54-51.
“I put everything to the side, because it was the championship game,” Porter said. “At the end of the day, we always want to win. So, I was more focused on that and just trying to be there for my team. Everything just came together and it went in our favor.”
Porter and Lathrop have shifted their focus on claiming the team’s first Western Athletic Conference title since her freshman year but with even bigger goals down the road.
Having been that freshman on a varsity squad with high expectations, Porter is impressed with how the current crop of youngsters — featuring 6-foot center Breanna Wiseman and electric guards Zakia Booker, Jayla Seabron and Aisha Wiseman — have quickly acclimated themselves.
“I’m really proud of them,” Porter said. “They’re developing really well. Being a freshman on varsity can be scary, but I’m really proud of how they’re willing to work and put in the time.”
