By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Brooklyn Giles remembers the feeling that she had after Napa Valley College's loss in the second round of the California Community College Athletic Association Regional Championships last year. Giles had nine points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and four blocked shots, but the Storm fell, 81-39 to Santa Rosa Junior College at Haehl Pavilion.
It's not a feeling that Giles wants to experience ever again.
"I definitely just learned that I don't want to feel that again," Giles said, before a practice on Monday. "So, I'm going to definitely do everything I can in my power to refrain from feeling that again."
Napa Valley will be making its second straight trip to the playoffs, with the Storm, the No. 24 seed, traveling to face No. 9 seed San Jose City College on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in a first round game in the CCCAA Northern California Regionals for women's basketball.
Napa Valley (16-12 overall, 10-4 Bay Valley Conference) is led by Giles, the team's leading scorer and rebounder, who was named to the California Community College Women's Basketball Coaches Association 2023-2024 All-State team. Giles was selected third-team All-State for the Northern California Region and was also named All-Bay Valley Conference.
"I know that my teammates are excited for this challenge. So, we'll be there to compete on Wednesday, for sure," said Giles. "It's just really exciting."
For the second year in a row, Napa Valley has a winning record is also in the 3C2A Regional Playoffs, which has a 24-team field.
The Storm, which finished in third place in the Bay Valley, is the No. 24 seed and will take on No. 9 seed San Jose City College (25-3 overall, 12-0 Coast-South Conference) in the first round of the playoffs.
The field for the playoffs was announced on Sunday by the California Community College Athletic Association, at 3c2asports.org.
NVC takes a two-game winning streak into the game. The Storm is 7-3 over its last 10 games.
San Jose City is the Coast-South Conference champion and brings a 12-game winning streak into the playoffs.
The development of the freshmen players has been key to NVC's success, said Giles.
"Our freshmen, they're not freshmen anymore. They have definitely adapted to his level and adapted to playing, they know their role and know what they need to do," said Giles.
Giles expressed her appreciation on being named All-State. The Northern California Region and Southern California Region each have All-State first, second and third teams.
"I'm just really blessed and really excited that I'm able to have this opportunity," said Giles, one of the top players in NVC program history. "I got to grow as a player and become better as a basketball player. I'm just really honored. I thank my coaches and my teammates and everything."
Giles ranks second in the state in defensive rebounds, seventh in total rebounds, and seventh in rebounds per game.
Giles averaged 18.5 points on 51.0 percent shooting from the field, 14.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.0 steals and 2.1 blocks per game during the regular season.
The Storm's Daralonie Sykes, a sophomore point guard, was also named to the All-Bay Valley team.
Sykes averaged 12.0 points on 39.1 percent shooting from the field, 4.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 steals per game during the regular season.
NVC has been short-handed most of the season, with just seven players.
"Everybody on this team, since we do have low numbers, everybody knows what their assignment is, when they go out on the court. I think that everybody follows that," said Giles. "Good things happen out of that. So, I think as long as we continue to do that, and continue to put in an effort, a team effort, then we'll be OK."
The winner of Napa Valley-San Jose City plays Cosumnes River-Sacramento on Saturday, March 2, in a quarterfinal-round regional game.
Giles scored 26 points and Sykes had 24 points as the Storm won its Bay Valley Conference and regular-season finale, 75-65, over host Yuba College-Marysville, on Feb 22.
"Everyone contributes to the team," said Jordyn Allen, a freshman guard/forward. "I feel like in the beginning, we did struggle a little bit, but we had to come together. And with seven players, it was hard in the beginning, but we stuck with it, as in not giving up. We just kept pushing and look where we are now. We try our hardest." * Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016, the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.