Plum, Paopao put La Jolla Country Day on the basketball map

For a one-month period this summer, no high school in the nation was better represented in women’s basketball than La Jolla Country Day.

On July 28, Kelsey Plum, a 2013 Torreys graduate, led the United States to the gold medal in the inaugural 3x3 basketball tournament at the Tokyo Olympics.

Te-Hina Paopao, a 2019 graduate who is currently at the University of Oregon, averaged double-figure scoring in pacing the U.S. U19 team to the FIBA World Championship with a 70-52 thumping of Australia in Debrecen, Hungary, on Aug. 15.

Current LJCD junior Breya Cunningham and a transfer from Missouri who should turn a lot of heads, Jada Williams, led the Americans past Canada, 118-45, in the FIBA U16 World Championships on Aug. 30 in Leon, Mexico.

“That was amazing,” said LJCD head coach Terri Bamford, who will be starting her 23rd season in November. “I’m so proud that those kids came through this program and are representing our country.

“The goal for every one of the players is to graduate ready to play at the college level but the ultimate goal is to produce a well-balanced individual. It’s really incredible what they accomplished.”

Bamford was getting blurry-eyed watching every second of the 3x3 Olympics on television and both FIBA tournaments that were streamed live.

Only Plum’s team lost a game, 20-18 to the hosts in a meaningless contest after the U.S. had already clinched its group. Plum scored 11 points in the 18-16 win over France in the semifinals and five in the 18-15 gold medal victory over the Russian Olympic Committee. (In 3x3, baskets count one point. A normal 3-point shot counts as two.)

The question mark surrounding Plum was would she recover from a torn Achilles tendon suffered in June of 2019. Once she proved to everyone she was ready to go, Plum was the heart and soul of the U.S 3x3 team.

No one who saw her lead LJCD to the state title in 2012, break the career NCAA scoring record at Washington, be the first player chosen in the 2017 WNBA Draft and go on to be the current mainstay with the Las Vegas Aces, was in the least surprised.

Paopao might also have led the Torreys to a state title her senior year as LJCD was ranked No. 1 in California. The pandemic, however, prevented Bamford from an opportunity to win a fifth state crown.

“I grew up playing for Coach Bamford,” said Paopao. “I think the thing she taught me that has helped the most is to not dwell on something like a turnover but to just go on to the next play. And always get back on defense.

“The U19 team was so much fun. A lot of the players really hadn’t experienced college yet because of COVID, so I found myself letting them know what to expect. Everyone there was a high-level athlete. We won every game by 50 or more points. That’s the future of U.S. basketball.

“Coach Cori Close of UCLA is defensive-minded and that fit perfectly with what we learned at LJCD. Good defense led to good shots, and we knocked them down.”

Cunningham and Williams, who was named to the All-Tournament team in Mexico, had a little extra fun since Williams and her family had moved to San Diego during the summer.

The 6-foot-4 Cunningham averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds as a starter.

“Playing on the national team was a little tougher since we had to learn the plays in a short time,” said Cunningham, who said she was especially proud representing the U.S. because her mom and grandparents were in the military. “High school is different because we’re together a lot more and we know each other better.

“I think I’ve learned how to be a good teammate on my high school team and unselfish play is definitely a must on the national team.”

How about being on the team with Williams, then and now.

“It was great having Jada as a teammate,” she said. “I’ve known her for a few years with travel ball, but we’ve never been on a team together. I can’t wait to see what we can do on LJCD’s team this year. I’m excited.”

Brand is a freelance writer.