El Diamante, Farmersville, Monache players reach 1,000 career point milestone
The Visalia Times-Delta/Tulare Advance-Register will recognize Tulare County's top personal coach and player milestones this school year.
Athletic directors, coaches or readers, please inform sports reporter Vongni Yang at vyang2@gannett.com if a player or coach is on the cusp of setting a new school record or surpassing a personal milestone such as career points (1,000 point club), school records (most goals/points/wins in a single season or game), coaching wins (100th coaching victory), etc.
This story will be updated throughout the winter sports season with that information.
El Diamante's Santana Guijarro reaches 1,000 career points
Reaching 1,000 career points was never part of El Diamante senior Santana Guijarro's goal.
Why?
Guijarro just never thought he would reach that four-digit number after his freshman season was wiped out due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Miners' star player didn't officially play competitive basketball for nearly two years, including his eighth-grade year, because of virus concerns.
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But the 6-foot-1 Guijarro has made up for lost time.
On Jan. 23, Guijarro joined the 1,000-point club, scoring 25 points to lead the Miners to a 58-29 win over Golden West. He entered that East Yosemite League showdown just 15 points shy of 1,000.
"The growth he has made as a player, teammate and person matches his point numbers," El Diamante head coach Jerome Guzman said. "Always growing and getting better."
Despite not playing at all as a freshman, Guijarro made an immediate impact the following year in 2021-22.
That season, he dropped 128 total points as a sophomore and followed that with a 318-point breakout junior year.
Now a senior, Guijarro is one of Tulare County's elite scorers, averaging nearly 25 points per game. He entered the week of Jan. 29 with 597 points on the season.
He has logged 42- and 40-point games and has five games scoring in the 30s (38, 35, 32, 32, 33). In two other games, he dropped 29 and 28 points, respectively.
"I've had great seasons so far," Guijarro said. "It was amazing to share that [experience] with my teammates, coaches and family. It was great. It's amazing, man. They're supportive in all my action. Some of them might have been a little more excited than I was but that was amazing."
In December, Guijarro was named the most inspirational player at the 72nd annual Polly Wilhelmsen Invitational.
Since Guijarro joined the team, El Diamante (10-14, 3-3) has won a combined 41 games, including an 18-win campaign last season.
Guijarro credited that success to his teammates, Guzman and the Miners' coaching staff.
"It's amazing," Guijarro said. "I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I think he's an amazing coach. More than that, I think he's an amazing person. I just enjoy being around him — in the offseason, season — and the coaching staff."
Farmersville's Jazmaine Stewart catches fire to 1,000 career points
Farmersville sophomore Jazmaine Stewart is already one of the best scorers in Tulare County.
She burst onto the scene as a freshman, scoring 574 points while averaging 21.2 points per game as the Aztecs advanced to the Central Section Division V playoffs.
Nearly a year later, Stewart is already in the 1,000-point club. On Jan. 22, Stewart delivered 29 points and seven steals to carry the Aztecs to a 70-15 rout of Orange Cove to reach the four-digit milestone.
“It was very shocking and exciting," Stewart said. "I really wouldn’t have been able to make it without the team, coaches and family who have always supported me throughout my career.”
Stewart is one of the best scorers in the Central Section this season. In stats reported to MaxPreps, she is averaging nearly 22 points per game, which is ranked as the third-most in the section as of press time.
Stewart has eclipsed 30 points or more in a single game four times this season and dropped a season-best 34 points twice in a loss and win versus Corcoran.
An all-around player, she has also registered 121 rebounds and 113 steals.
That type of hustle is a result of her work ethic.
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“Being at practice was always a major factor," Stewart said. "Always taking the time to dribble and work on the small things on your own.”
Farmersville is off to a 17-6 start this season. The Aztecs are atop the East Sequoia League-Redwood standings with a 5-0 mark.
“Jaz is an incredible player," Farmersville head coach Antonio Juarez said. "She is dedicated to her craft and getting better. Not only is she a great athlete, she is a great student. She’s always positive and willing to learn. We look forward to seeing all she continues to accomplish.”
Monache's Ty Baxter is a 1,000-point scoring machine
Monache's Ty Baxter is one of the top all-around student-athletes in Tulare County this season.
Fresh off an East Yosemite League Most Valuable Player campaign in football, Baxter is proving he's just as explosive on the hardwood.
On Jan. 23, the junior eclipsed 1,000 career points, netting 24 points in a 60-59 loss to Porterville.
Baxter is one of Tulare County's elite scorers. He is averaging 23.5 points per game.
“Ty has consistently played at a very high level this season," Monache head coach Justin St. Clair said. "He is a three-level scorer and his offensive production has been very efficient. Night in and night out, Ty is guarded heavily. He continues to find ways to score and he has a very high basketball I.Q. He is our leader and we believe there is always a chance to win with the ball in his hands."
Baxter has been a contributor for the Marauders (13-12, 2-4) since his freshman season, canning 128 points. That was followed by a 320-point outburst during a breakout sophomore campaign.
Now a junior, Baxter is enjoying his best season to date. In 25 games, he has totaled a single-season, career-high 587 points. He is shooting 46% from the floor, hitting 199-of-437 attempts.
The Marauders' star is also one of Tulare County's premier 3-point shooters. He has a career-best 76 triples this season and has sank 39% of his shots from beyond the arc, including a pair of games where he nailed seven 3-pointers.
More: See Tulare County's top winter sports performers for Week 11
In November, Baxter knocked down a career-high 44 points to lead Monache to a 69-44 win over Granite Hills.
"As a freshman, I knew he was going to be a special player," St. Clair said. "He helped lead us to the semis that season. The kid is just tough, passionate and has a desire to win that is not seen too often. Most importantly, Ty is a great kid, a leader, who is very coachable and I’m very proud of his accomplishments so far. He continues to get better every day. When your best player is your hardest worker, that is a recipe for success."
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: El Diamante, Farmersville, Monache players reach 1,000 point milestone
