Portola girls basketball upsets Paramount in first round of CIF-SS playoffs

Bulldogs make 15 3-pointers to knock off Gateway League co-champions

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Portola's barrage of 3-pointers, including 15 made shots from beyond the arc, allowed the Bulldogs to upset Paramount 64-41 in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 2 girls basketball playoffs. Portola senior guard Kara Niho scored a game-high 20 points, while junior reserve guard Kelcie Fan added 17 points, all on 3-pointers. Paramount junior guard Aiyanna Hooker led the Pirates with 17 points in the loss.

Why it matters

The upset victory by Portola, the Pacific Coast League's fourth-place team, over Paramount, the Gateway League co-champions, highlights the unpredictable nature of the high school basketball playoffs. Portola's hot shooting from 3-point range proved too much for Paramount to overcome, despite the Pirates' physical style of play.

The details

Portola made 15 3-pointers, which allowed them to outscore Paramount's total offensive output of 41 points solely from beyond the arc. The Bulldogs led 30-25 at halftime and 43-35 at the end of the third quarter, before a 12-0 run to start the fourth quarter sealed the victory. Portola senior guard Kara Niho scored a game-high 20 points, including five 3-pointers, while junior reserve guard Kelcie Fan added 17 points, all on 3-pointers. Paramount junior guard Aiyanna Hooker led the Pirates with 17 points.

  • The game was played on Thursday, February 12, 2026 in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 2 girls basketball playoffs.

The players

Aiyanna Hooker

A junior guard for the Paramount Pirates who scored a team-high 17 points in the loss.

Kara Niho

A senior guard for the Portola Bulldogs who scored a game-high 20 points, including five 3-pointers, to lead her team to the upset victory.

Kelcie Fan

A junior reserve guard for the Portola Bulldogs who scored 17 points, all on 3-pointers, to help the Bulldogs defeat Paramount.

Brian Barham

The head coach of the Portola Bulldogs, who guided his team to the upset victory over Paramount.

Leon Polk

The head coach of the Paramount Pirates, whose team could not withstand Portola's hot shooting from 3-point range.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I really was just trying my hardest because I know if I lead my team, then they'll probably pick up on my energy. So I was trying to give it my all.”

— Aiyanna Hooker, Paramount junior guard (Twitter)

“What else are we going to do. That's the way we play.”

— Brian Barham, Portola head coach (Twitter)

“Making those 3s, it really helps pick up the momentum during the game.”

— Kara Niho, Portola senior guard (Twitter)

“We didn't stick to the game plan. We deviated from that. They just hit shots. We were supposed to stay attached to the shooters and force them to be two-point shooters.”

— Leon Polk, Paramount head coach (Twitter)

What’s next

Portola, the Pacific Coast League's fourth-place team, will host No. 1 overall seed Glendora in the second round on Saturday.

The takeaway

Portola's ability to make 15 3-pointers, including five each from Kara Niho and Kelcie Fan, proved to be the difference in the upset victory over Paramount. The Bulldogs' hot shooting from beyond the arc overwhelmed the Pirates' physical style of play, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the high school basketball playoffs.