“I feel great. This is legendary. NCS (North Coast Section) Division I champions, girls basketball—first time in school history. That’s incredible,” Principal Barnaby Payne said.
On Friday, Feb. 27, the Giants took on the Heritage Patriots at Freitas Memorial Gymnasium in Kentfield, securing a 57-42 victory and becoming the first basketball team to win a Division I championship in program history.
While the pennant and plaque marked a historic milestone for the school, Payne focused on the team’s character, which stood out even more than just the result.
“I’m more proud about the way they play,” Payne said. “It’s completely a team game. They’re selfless, they sacrifice, they share the ball and they work incredibly hard.”
From the opening tipoff at 7:00 p.m., the Giants controlled the pace of play. They attacked on offense early, drawing repeated trips to the free-throw line and building a double-digit lead in the first quarter.
Senior captain Brooke Denler led the squad with 16 points, many from the free-throw stripe, setting the offensive tone for the girls. Following in points was senior captain Kitty White, with 14 points, including 12 in the first half. Redwood entered halftime ahead 29-22 despite Heritage outscoring the Giants 11-8 in the second quarter.
By the final whistle of the third quarter, the Giants extended their lead to 43-34, sustaining defensive pressure and limiting Heritage’s perimeter opportunities. Junior Hindaleah Copeland anchored the defensive paint with multiple blocks and contributed 11 points on the other end of the ball.
White touched on her exhilaration for making school history and leaving an impact on the program before heading to play Division II basketball at California State University, Monterey Bay.
“It’s just super exciting. It’s never been done before, at least for Redwood basketball. There was a lot of pressure to get it done, but I think we knew from the beginning that we had it in us,” White said.
White’s performance was significant because roughly a month ago she tore her labrum, but has continued to play through the injury while limiting contact in practice. White also described her efforts to balance recovery with competition and hard work throughout the postseason.
“About a month ago, I tore my labrum in my shoulder, so I’ve kind of been working through the injury,” White said. “In games, I forget about being injured. We all battle through different things, and at the end of the day, our team works hard.”
Denler gave credit to the team’s challenging regular-season schedule for preparing them for the championship game.
“Our strength of schedule really came down to this game, placing us in the Division I bracket,” Denler said.
The championship atmosphere finally peaked late, in the fourth quarter, when freshman Annalise Pyle checked into the game and made an immediate impact. On her first shot attempt, Pyle drained a 3-pointer, extending their lead and igniting the crowd and bench before the final buzzer.
“It’s really fun out here,” Pyle said. “Our team is welcoming to all the freshmen and we have such a good bond. That 3-pointer was a big goal for me, and was a great accomplishment.”
Although all the players, students, families and staff were on a high after the game, some staff members hoped to see even more student representation at the championship game. Campus adviser and junior varsity football coach Isaiah Howard, who frequently attends games to help supervise and support the team, said the moment deserved a larger turnout.
With the Division I title secured, the girls turn their focus to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State playoffs. Despite the accomplishment, the team’s goals remain ambitious, and they are ready to continue moving forward.
“We want to go all the way no matter what seed we get. It’s just about getting prepared, having good scouts, amazing practices and meeting them when the game comes,” White said.
For a program that has waited nearly seven decades for a Division I championship, Friday night marked that goal—a defining chapter in Redwood basketball history.
