Valencia girls basketball falls short in Division 1 final

La Salle's strong interior offense and Valencia's 20 turnovers prove too much for the Vikings

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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The Valencia Vikings girls basketball team fell short in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship game, losing to the La Salle Lancers 51-35 on Friday night at the Toyota Arena in Ontario. The Lancers' strong interior offense, led by Aislin Tamez Torres, Emily Fong, and Riley Higgins, proved too much for the Vikings, who also committed 20 turnovers in the game. Valencia was led by senior forward Kiera McLaughlin, who had a team-high 11 points and 8 rebounds, but the Vikings' top scorers, sophomore wing Kamilla Basyrova and freshman point guard Sophia Sarkar, were held in check.

Why it matters

The loss snapped a 13-game winning streak for the Vikings, who had been battle-tested throughout the season and went undefeated in the tough Foothill League. Despite the disappointing championship game result, Valencia head coach Jared Honig expressed optimism about the program's future, praising Basyrova and Sarkar as 'extremely hard workers' who will continue to improve.

The details

Valencia led by four points early in the first quarter, but that would be their biggest lead of the game. La Salle was able to score 22 points in the paint, largely through the efforts of Aislin Tamez Torres, Emily Fong and Riley Higgins, who combined for 37 points. The Vikings struggled to take care of the ball, turning it over 20 times.

  • The game was played on Friday, February 27, 2026.

The players

Kiera McLaughlin

The senior forward for the Valencia Vikings, who led the team with 11 points and 8 rebounds in the championship game.

Kamilla Basyrova

The sophomore wing for the Valencia Vikings, who had been the team's top scorer during the season, averaging 19.8 points per game and shooting 44% from 3-point range.

Sophia Sarkar

The freshman point guard for the Valencia Vikings, who had been putting up 9.6 points per game along with 3.3 assists and 2.5 steals per game during the season.

Aislin Tamez Torres

A player for the La Salle Lancers, who contributed to the team's strong interior offense that proved too much for Valencia.

Emily Fong

A player for the La Salle Lancers, who contributed to the team's strong interior offense that proved too much for Valencia.

Riley Higgins

A player for the La Salle Lancers, who contributed to the team's strong interior offense that proved too much for Valencia.

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What they’re saying

“They're extremely hard workers. They put in a ton of time with us and outside of what we're doing, so it's no surprise that they're able to do what they do on the court. So I think as long as they keep working, as long as our team sticks together, I think we'll be great moving forward.”

— Jared Honig, Valencia head coach (dailynews.com)

What’s next

Valencia will continue its season in the CIF state playoffs that begin on Tuesday.

The takeaway

Despite the disappointing championship game result, Valencia has a bright future with talented young players like Kamilla Basyrova and Sophia Sarkar, who have shown they are willing to put in the hard work to improve. The Vikings' strong regular season and playoff run demonstrate the program's competitiveness, and with the continued development of its core players, Valencia will likely be a force to be reckoned with in the coming years.