Raghavan moving south

Annanya Raghavan has made her call and it is Azuza Pacific University (APU) in southern California.

It took the 5-foot-6 Evergreen Valley High senior and West Valley Basketball Club member a single visit and she was sold. Attending class with some of the team's players, having lunch with the coaches and working out later on brought forth an offer from Coach T.J. Hardeman, and an acceptance.

"I always wanted to go to school in southern California because of the warm weather," she explained.

It didn't hurt that APU won the NAIA championship in 2011 and just finished third in the National Christian College Athletics Association tournament. The Cougars will be full-fledged members of the DII PacWest Conference this coming season, meaning annual sojourns to Hawaii (more nice temperatures) against several island-based opponents plus trips up north to face the likes of Dominican University, Holy Names University, Notre Dame de Namur and Academy of Art University.

So what will the Senior of the Year in the Mount Hamilton League be bringing to her Cougars squad?

"I'm a pass first player. I like to set my teammates up where they can succeed. That's a unique part of my game." With her Evergreen squad averaging 49.3 points per game this past season, Raghavan produced a mighty 15.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.2 steals per contest.

APU point Allison Greene, named Newcomer of the Year this season for her shooting and passing exploits, is returning but just for one more year, so opportunity will soon be available.

Raghavan is taking a 4.1 grade point average and looking to major in bio chemistry, with the intention of becoming a doctor.

She wished to thank "my parents for always supporting me and [West Valley Basketball Coaches] Bob Bramlett and Al Grigsby as well as Michelle Bento-Jackson for helping me to become the player I am."