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    Santa Ana girls basketball shows resiliency in run to CIF-SS championship game
    • February 28, 2025

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    The arrest of a lower-level coach on suspicion of sexual assault. A flood of emotions. A midseason coaching change. And an uncertain playoff future.

    Santa Ana’s girls basketball team has navigated through those obstacles, and perhaps a few more, to reach Saturday’s CIF-SS Division 5AA championship game against Hillcrest of Riverside.

    “I just couldn’t be more proud,” Santa Ana interim coach Dana Nguyen said of the Saints (16-12), who play Hillcrest (21-6) at 10 a.m. at Edison High. “It just speaks to the leadership of the seniors we have.”

    Santa Ana is seeking its first section title in girls basketball.

    The Saints have won all four of their playoff games and five of eight games overall under Nguyen, a teacher and former boys basketball assistant coach at Santa Ana. She took the coaching reins Jan. 15, the Santa Ana Unified School District confirmed.

    Saints varsity head coach Calvin Barnes said he was placed on “administrative leave” at that time, days after Santa Ana girls junior varsity basketball coach Edward Baxter, 23, was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault for allegedly having a dating relationship with a 16-year-old girl at the school.

    Barnes said he was the reporting party to the police, and Santa Ana police department public information officer Natalie Garcia confirmed that this week.

    “I was a mandated reporter,” Barnes said, referring to the law that requires people in certain professions to report suspected instances of abuse.

    Barnes, in his third season, said he remains on leave as the case is investigated.

    Fermin Leal, the chief communications and community relations officer for the district, stated Thursday that the district’s investigation “continues.” He declined to comment on “anyone who is on administrative leave.”

    Nguyen, who teaches U.S. history and college preparation classes, said Santa Ana’s players experienced frustration, anger and resentment following the arrest.

    “It was upsetting to everybody,” she said. “At the very beginning, I think there was a lot of uncertainty. The girls were pretty emotional.”

    The players, Nguyen said, have used basketball as an outlet for their feelings and followed the leadership of seniors such as guard Kalleigh Solis and forward Cynthia Silva.

    Santa Ana also starts senior forward Mireya Arroyo, senior point guard Yarexy Diaz and junior center Ashley Mendoza.

    “When we step onto the basketball court, (our focus is) basketball,” said Nguyen, who played at Valencia High.

    Santa Ana’s playoff future looked a bit unclear after the regular season.

    The Saints finished fourth in the Golden West League and without an automatic playoff berth. The team, however, was eligible for an at-large bid to CIF because of its overall record of 12-12.

    Santa Ana received the second and final at-berth spot in Division 5AA. The Saints beat St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 45-32 in the semifinals behind 25 points by Solis.

    “She’s been incredible,” Nguyen said of the 5-foot-1 Solis. “We’re just peaking at the right time.”

    Santa Ana’s revised coaching staff includes her husband Mike Nguyen, Fernando Ceja, Christina Jones, John Gonzalez and Andrea Spielfogel. All of the coaches are full-time teachers at Santa Ana, the district stated.

    Last season, Santa Ana surprisingly played national powerhouse Mater Dei. The Saints lost 90-5 as Barnes aimed to expose his players to Division 1-level basketball and prepare for their own CIF run.

    ​ Orange County Register 

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