6 Pioneer High School girls basketball players presented with Golden Empire League awards as coach departs

Six Pioneer girls basketball players received awards from the Golden Empire League following the conclusion of the 2023-24 season. (Sean Goldston/Courtesy)

When New York Liberty superstar Breanna Stewart won the 2023 WNBA Most Valuable Player award, it was a highly controversial result as many people expected A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces to repeat as MVP.

However, the girls varsity basketball MVP was a no-brainer in the Golden Empire League for the second consecutive year: Pioneer High School senior power forward Olivia Gill.

Following back-to-back GEL championships, she was selected as the league MVP again. Gill was joined by five of her teammates in receiving individual recognition from the GEL following the conclusion of the 2023-24 season.

Senior shooting guard Ava Contreras and juniors, point guard Keziah Maldonado-Lemus and PF Peyton Thorpe, were selected to the All-GEL first team. Senior center Marissa Christian and sophomore SG Naomi Navarro earned respective spots on the league’s second team.

Per game, Gill averaged 16.0 points (1st in GEL), 12.6 rebounds (2nd), 2.5 steals (tied 6th) and 2.0 blocks (1st). The two-time MVP totaled 196 field goals made (1st), 40 free throws made (2nd) and 23 double-doubles (1st).

“She’s one of the hardest workers that I’ve had in my nine-year career. She’s one of the ones that was always there and on time to practice with no excuses. Even when she’s hurt, when she’s sick, she’s there and ready to play,” Pioneer head coach Sean Goldston said with a laugh. “Keziah and Olivia got co-MVP for the team just because you can’t say KML without saying Olivia. She’s great but you’ve gotta have someone to get her the ball in the right spots. It takes five on the floor at one time, right? It always makes it easier when you have teammates that are there to help you get better.

“In turn, having Marissa and Peyton there to push Olivia. Peyton is coming up next year and Olivia taught her a lot toughness. She showed her what it takes to get to that next level. That just speaks volumes about Olivia, her dedication being there all the time and working with other girls to make that connection.”

Maldonado-Lemus tallied per game averages of 8.9 points (5th), 8.7 assists (1st), 5.7 steals (2nd) and 0.5 blocks (T10). KML racked up 93 FGM (6th), 33 FTM (5th), 31 3-pointers made (2nd), 5 DD (T4) and 2 charges (T2).

“You can’t say enough about her. She’s just like Olivia, she’s a gym rat, always in there working to improve her game. You saw that this year with her increase in assists, steals, rebounds and most of all, points,” Goldston explained. “She became a scoring threat and I know she’s been working really hard on that, taking the ball to the hole more, making sure her outside jumper is on. We couldn’t get the ball up the floor like that without her, she’s the quarterback!

“She is the leader on the floor. Her being there early with Olivia at every practice, that’s huge. It’s what it takes to win in the league and to leave a legacy. I talk to them all the time about a legacy and what you’re going to leave. The impression you leave on all the girls behind you, they all want to be like Olivia or Keziah, that’s enormous.”

Contreras ranked in the Top 10 of four GEL stats. Per game, she averaged 2.5 assists (3rd) and steals (T6), respectively. The senior sharpshooter recorded 19 3PM (9th) and 4 charges (1st).

“Mostly it was because of her defense, leadership and always being there for her team,” Goldston recalled. “She was voted captain this year, which was a big step for her because it requires a little bit of a better understanding of the team and how they want to see the team go and progress. She was a big part of that.”

Thorpe tallied 6.9 rebounds (8th) and 0.5 blocks (T10). The backup post totaled 88 FGM (7th) and 6 DD (3rd).

“She was super excited. It was good for her to see that her hard work and modeling what Olivia has done is paying off for her,” Goldston explained about the first team selection. “She joined the AAU program over at Pioneer and is playing in the spring and summer for them, which is always good to see.”

Christian averaged 7.6 rebounds (6th) and 0.5 blocks (T10). The senior recorded 28 FTM (T7) and 2 charges (T2) and DD (T8), respectively. When asked how Christian earned a second team selection, Goldston said one word: toughness.

“In summer league, one of the other team’s centers came up to me and said, ‘Is Marissa coming tonight? Because I’m scared.’ That just speaks volumes and she was in other girls’ heads because of how physical she plays, it becomes a mental game. That was huge,” Goldston recalled. “She is one of the toughest girls that I’ve ever met. She is dedicated, comes in, works and wants to understand the plays before she starts going. I kind of look at her as the Dennis Rodman of our team, all I needed her to do was get rebounds.

“If she gets points and steals, that’s just an added bonus. Having that 7-10 rebounds a night out of her, you can’t ask any more. She just goes out there, does the work, puts in time and is tough! It doesn’t get any tougher than Marissa! I’ve coached Marissa since she was 8 and she has been the exact same way the entire time. That girl doesn’t back down.”

Per game, Navarro racked up 3.9 steals (3rd), 2.2 assists (4th) and 0.6 blocks (9th). The superb sophomore totaled 22 3PM (T7) and 2 charges (T2).

“She’s another hard worker. The big theme for our team this year was, ‘You’ve gotta put in work.’ If you’re going to be a champion, you’re going to put in that time to repeat as champion. I was glad we did it this year and she was a huge part of the team,” Goldston explained. “Being a sophomore is not always easy but she handled the pressure really well and was shooting. I remember the first Mira Loma game, she came out on fire, came back to the bench one time, looked at us and said, ‘Man I feel like Steph Curry right now,’ because she couldn’t miss and it made us all laugh.

“I told them all the time that ‘shooters shoot’ and ‘don’t stop if you’re missing, keep shooting.’ She took it to heart, didn’t stop putting them up and helped us to an outstanding record for the year.”

Christian, Contreras, Gill, Elizabeth Lopez and Natali Rico are the five graduates from this year’s roster. Contreras and Gill will play at College of the Sequoias for former Butte College coach Tyler Newton, who was hired in April to lead the Giants of Visalia.

“I tell them, ‘Please if you want to play, let me know and I’ll do everything I can.’ Constantly texting coaches and getting on different websites really helps them. That’s part of my job and what I’m here for is to get them to the next level if they want to,” Goldston said. “That’s something that Ava said to me last year was to play at the next level. I think it’s great that they go together because some familiarity, being away from home, that being their first taste of college life, having somebody there you know and close on the team can only benefit both of them.

“It’s close enough that coach can drive down there and see them. I plan on heading down there a few times next year to watch them play. I’m super excited about it!”

After eight years as head coach, Goldston stepped down in March. He led the Patriots to three GEL titles (outright in 2023), 121-51 overall and a 58-18 record in league play. Pioneer was 25-4 overall, had an 11-1 GEL record and a 19-game winning streak this past season. The Patriots shared the league championship with Rio Linda after the road team won each matchup between the league rivals.

“I’m forever grateful,” Goldston proclaimed. “There’s a lot of relationships and friendships made, a lot of people that I consider family and would do anything for. When you go out in public, see the girls, they give you a hug and call you ‘coach,’ that’s what it’s all about, family. Looking back, I started when my daughter Marissa was a sophomore. I coached it all the right way, we did all the right things. I’ve got no regrets, love and am proud of all the girls that came through the program, a couple of them are playing pro ball right now.

“Seeing Olivia and Ava go play at Sequoias, I can’t wait to go watch KML, Naomi and Peyton wherever they play, knowing I was a part of that. It’s all the reward that I need.”