Playing her first game in a month, Reina Sausedo put forth a MVP effort in Ripon’s Trans-Valley League opener against the reigning champion.
And she did it with her shooting hand heavily wrapped just days after a cast was removed.
Sausedo continued her strong play from there, as she and fellow four-year standout Morgan Van Elderen of rival Ripon Christian were named to the All-TVL team for the fourth time while earning the top two awards.
Sausedo earned her second Most Valuable Player honor after leading the Indians (10-2 TVL, 21-7 overall) to a share of the title with Livingston (10-2, 21-7). Van Elderen is Most Outstanding Player. She and the Knights (8-4, 16-11) denied Ripon an outright claim to the championship by upsetting the Indians on the last day of the regular season.
Livingston’s Nina Garcia is Coach of the Year.
Sausedo was previously voted MVP her sophomore season. This past winter, her availability for the rest of the season was in question after she broke a bone in her hand during a pre-league tournament in Merced.
Thirty-one days later she returned to action with a vengeance, leading Ripon past Livingston, 58-55. Doing much of the damage with her off hand, the natural righty went off for 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting.
Sausedo was oftentimes at her best playing against the TVL’s other contending teams, and in one stretch in league she averaged a double-double in seven of eight games. For the season, including non-league and postseason games, the 5-foot-5 guard averaged 16.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.2 steals and 1.1 blocks. She capped her varsity career with 1,700 points.
Van Elderen was also an all-around spark for Ripon Christian, and it was she who put Ripon away in the closing seconds of their TVL finale with two free throws, two steals and a layup all in the final 13 seconds. She produced a season-high 31 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals in that game.
Van Elderen turned registered 15.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.8 steals in the regular season. She went down with a knee injury during Ripon Christian’s bid for an upset against top-seeded Valley Christian of Roseville in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI semifinals. Valley Christian came from behind to win, 56-53.
Ripon senior guard Mikaylah Vaught (10.1 points) and senior post Mackenzie Hutchinson (5.9 points, 5.8 rebounds) were also named to the all-league team, as did Ripon Christian center Lexi Hilvers (8.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.3 blocks).
Ripon senior guards Tianna Sidtikun and Myra Toledo made honorable mention.

ALL-TVL TEAM
Girls basketball
MVP: Reina Sausedo, Ripon, Sr.
Most Outstanding: Morgan Van Elderen, Ripon Christian, Sr.
Coach of the Year: Nina Garcia, Livingston

All-league: Brooke Campbell, Escalon, Jr.; Madi Coehlo, Hughson, Jr.; Olivia Fiveash, Hughson, Fr.; Gianna Martella, Hughson, Sr.; Alizabeth Huerta, Livingston, Jr.; Victoria Montes, Livingston, Sr.; Breanna Espinoza, Livingston, Jr.; Mackenzie Hutchinson, Ripon, Sr.; Mikaylah Vaught, Ripon, Sr.; Lexi Hilvers, Ripon Christian, Sr.

Honorable mention: Hannah Boyd, Escalon, Sr.; Victoria Chipponeri, Hilmar, Sr.; Olivia Machado, Hilmar, Sr.; Kali Gose, Hughson, Sr.; Carolina Aguilar, Livingston, Sr.; Tianna Sidtikun, Ripon, Sr.; Myra Toledo, Ripon, Sr.; Livi Fernandez, Riverbank, Fr.; Mikayla Macias, Riverbank, Sr.; Aereli Zamora, Riverbank, Sr.