For her exploits, she was named the Southern Section Division V-A Player of the Year.
“She is just a special player, and a very special talent,” Camacho said. “There is no way we accomplish what we did without her. No way.”
Gupilan stepped up big in the most important games.
She tallied 18 points in a 61-31 trouncing of Santa Clara in the Southern Section championship to give the program its first title in 12 years.
In the state title game she poured in 22 points in a 55-47 win against Pinewood.
“Winning state was just so incredible,” said Gupilan, whose team finished 24-1. “It was something we worked so hard to get.”
With that season just a memory now, Gupilan is focusing on playing at the Division I college level and is weighing several offers.
She just wants to keep playing basketball — no matter where she might end up.
In addition, one Crescenta Valley player and one Prep player were named to the first and second team.
For Prep, junior guard Megan Musashi was their driving force and rightly earned a place on the All-Area First Team. Musashi led the team with 20.4 points per game and was a force in the CIF-SS Division VAA playoffs.
In their first two games, against Woodcrest Christian and Cantwell Sacred Heart, Musashi had 25 and 18 points respectively.
Though in the quarterfinals, St. Joseph’s was able to contain her to 12 points and the Rebels fell to the eventual CIF champs.
Crescenta Valley junior guard Cassie Pappas also made the first team. Pappas was a dynamic guard who could hit the threes and protect the ball well, sometimes playing point guard.
Pappas averaged 17.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game during the season. She led the Falcons to a 19-8 regular season record and a No. 15 spot in the CIF-SS Division I-A playoffs.
In the first round, against West Covina, Pappas had one of her best games of the season: 22 points, 2-for-3 from three-point range, 4-for-4 from the line, and eight rebounds. The Falcons won, 50-34.
Crescenta Valley’s playoff road ended the next game, against Santa Monica, 60-30, but they wouldn’t have been there without Pappas.
Both Musashi and Pappas will be returning to the area for next season and may be named the next All-Area Player of the Year.
