Birmingham girls basketball digs deep, leverages communication to beat Chaminade
OAK PARK — The Birmingham girls basketball team was playing with a shortened bench and without its tallest player in Friday night’s game against Chaminade.
The matchup pitted one of the L.A. City Section’s best against a competitive Mission League team, and the Patriots leveraged their talent and communication to come out with a 67-59 win on the first night of the Oak Park tournament at Oak Park High School.
Birmingham’s Camille Newton, #11, goes up for two points as Chaminade’s Rhema Clements, #3, defends on the play during fist period action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Birmingham’s Kayla Tanijiri, #3, passes away during fist period action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Birmingham’s Lili Martinez,#42, beats out Chaminade’s Rhema Clements, #3, for a rebound during third period action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chaminade’s Sydney Roberson, #0, goes up for two points as Birmingham’s Bella Medina, #30, defends on the play during third period action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Birmingham’s Annette Jones, #13, gets pressure from Chaminade’s Addison Keenan, #24, during fist period action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Birmingham’s Kamora Coleman, #12, and Chaminade’s Angelina Habis, #1, go after a loose ball during fist period action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Birmingham’s Izzy Smith, #5, pressures Chaminade’s Mya Patrick, #2, during third period action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chaminade’s Sydney Roberson, #0, gets a full-court press from Birmingham’s Izzy Smith, #5, during fourth action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chaminade’s Claire Hackney, #21, gets a full-court press from Birmingham’s Izzy Smith, #5, during third period action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Birmingham’s Lili Martinez, #42, passes the ball away under pressure from Chaminade’s Rhema Clements, #3, during second period action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chaminade’s Claire Hackney, #21, drives past Birmingham’s Lili Martinez, #42, to the basket during fourth action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chaminade’s Arizona Chavez, #4, gets off an off-balance pass under pressure from Birmingham’s Kamora Coleman, #12, during fist period action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chaminade’s Claire Hackney, #21, tries to get a rebound from Birmingham’s Lili Martinez, #42, during third period action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Birmingham head coach Victor Koopongakorn talks to his team at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chaminade’s Claire Hackney, #21, and Birmingham’s Kamora Coleman, #12, battle for ball control during second period action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Birmingham’s head coach Victor Koopongakorn at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chaminade’s head coach Jason Ancrom at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Birmingham’s Kamora Coleman, #12, steals the ball from Chaminade’s Sydney Roberson, #0, during second period action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Birmingham’s Kayla Tanijiri, #3, drives the ball past Chaminade’s Arizona Chavez, #4, during fourth action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Birmingham’s Camille Newton, #11, goes up for two points as Chaminade’s Rhema Clements, #3, defends on the play during fist period action at the Oak Park girls basketball tournament on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Birmingham defeated Chaminade 63-59. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
“That’s our expectation,” Birmingham assistant coach Devon Berry said. “We know we’re a City school and City doesn’t always get a lot of respect but we don’t care who we play. This is good for our confidence but we’re not surprised by this. This is what we work for.”
Birmingham freshman Kayla Tanjiri scored a game-high 23 points and went 9 of 11 from the free throw line. Camille Newton and Kamora Coleman added 10 points apiece and Lili Martinez scored eight points.
“We were definitely tired,” Tanjiri said, “but I think knowing that we had players injured today, it made us want to play more and want to play harder and just suck it up and play extended minutes.”
Both teams were playing with shortened benches — Chaminade (5-7) had seven active players and Birmingham (10-5) was down to eight after junior center Zoee Mitchell suffered an injury in the Patriots’ previous game.
Chaminade looked well-conditioned and fundamentally sound, seeking out prime shooting opportunities like the 3-point shot made by sophomore Claire Hackney that gave the Eagles a 7-2 advantage with 5:10 left in the first quarter.
Hackney ended the game with seven points. Sydney Roberson chipped in 15 points, Angelina Habis had 10 points and Addison Keenan had nine points.
The Eagles and Patriots battled for control of the game’s pace but it was Birmingham’s communication that gave it an edge midway through the game.
The Patriots executed multiple no-look passes to get the ball to senior guard Annette Jones for a mid-range jumper and 27-23 lead. Birmingham also went on a 6-0 run in the second quarter to pull ahead before Chaminade’s Mya Patrick hit a corner three to halt the momentum.
“It’s starting to come together,” Berry said. “We played a tough nonleague because our expectation is to win another City championship. You can see us starting to gel together. Even when we were short players, people were ready to step in and play their roles.”
Birmingham began pressing in the third quarter and preserved its lead. Tanjiri, who had a hot hand all night, made a corner 3-pointer and Newton had two clutch moments in the frame as well.
She caught an inbounds pass and hit a jumper after a single dribble then shortly after grabbed an offensive rebound for a bucket after Birmingham missed on a three.
“It was just sticking to what we know and what we do,” Tanjiri said. “Getting out of transition, running, beating you down the floor and getting easy buckets.”
Chaminade continues play in the Oak Park tournament on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. against Valencia and Birmingham plays Westlake at 4:30 p.m.
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