Back-to-Back: Placer clinches FVL title

There isn't much room left on the walls of the Earl Crabbe Gym, but Placer High School will have to find some open space as the girls basketball team clinched its second consecutive Foothill Valley League championship Thursday night. Behind a dominant second half, the Hillgals rolled past Twelve Bridges 64-38, stretching their win streak to 12 and inching closer to the top seed in Division III for the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. For a program that has steadily climbed back to prominence, this group has now delivered the most wins Placer has had since before the pandemic — and they're not done. "Experience pays off," Placer coach Tony Camillucci said. "All these kids were sophomores last year and got a lot of varsity experience. Having Ginger (Biddle) back is obviously a huge bonus for us. Leah Tomchick's been healthy all year after dealing with injuries last year. Everything's kind of coming together." Thursday's game didn't start as a lopsided affair. The Hillgals (24-2 overall, 10-0 FVL) weathered a sluggish opening stretch before closing the first quarter on a 13-3 run. Twelve Bridges cut the margin to four in the second period, but Placer didn't waver. The Hillgals outscored the Raging Rhinos 18-6 in the third quarter to take a 21-point advantage into the fourth. "I think our defense changed a little bit in the second half," Camillucci said. "We did a better job containing them and not letting them go by us. That was the big thing. And we hit some shots." The game tilted quickly once Placer found its rhythm. The Hillgals' defensive pressure ignited transition opportunities, and the offense flowed through a poised backcourt that has become the team's engine. Brookelyn Dunkle led all scorers with 23 points and was one of four Hillgals in double figures. Paige Denniston provided a spark off the bench with 11 points while Biddle and Lana Terrell each had 10. While Placer has featured a different standout nearly every game during its win streak, it was Dennison who delivered the spark in the second half with eight of her 11 points. The junior provided an immediate boost off the bench and helped turn a competitive game into a rout. "She's a competitor. Nothing intimidates her," Camillucci said. "She works really hard in practice. She stays after, working on her left hand and working on her shot. She's the ultimate competitor. Having her come off the bench, people don't know what they're getting into." Dunkle's presence at point guard continues to steady the group as well, whether pushing tempo or dialing it back. "It's amazing," Camillucci said. "She knows what we want to do. She manages the floor well and does a good job attacking when nothing else seems to work. And Ginger's starting to get a little of that, too. We've got Lucy Manley and Leah Tomchick who can handle the point as well, and Brookelyn can go to the two. It's a dream having those kids." With the league title secured and postseason seeding looming, the Hillgals have little time to savor the moment. Camillucci said the focus now shifts toward sharpening details and maintaining urgency over the final two regular-season games against Yuba City and River Valley. "We're super thrilled and honored," he said. "But our sights are high. We want to go deep in the playoffs. We're going to keep working. We don't want to relax. Our practices are super competitive because we're such a deep team." As the projected top seed in Division III, Placer's expectations are growing around a potential run to Golden 1 Center at the end of the month. Said Camillucci, "That's one of our goals. That would be great. But we've got to go one game at a time."