Girls basketball player, Lily Perkins, signs her letter of intent to attend Eastern Washington University with her family, Helen Perkins, Mother, Walter Thurmond, top right, and Darryl Perkins at Cantwell Sacred Heart of Mary High School in Montebello on Wednesday November 16, 2016. (Photo by Keith Durflinger/Whittier Daily News/SCNG)

By Stephen Ramirez
MONTEBELLO >> Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary High School’s Lily Perkins has been one of the area’s top basketball players the past three seasons, and Wednesday she received her just rewards for that billing.
Perkins signed a scholarship letter to attend Eastern Washington in a ceremony at the Montebello school.

“I’m really excited,” Perkins said. “I’ve worked hard for this. I think of all those around me who helped me get here, and most importantly, God, who without him I wouldn’t be here. I’m just really excited.”
Perkins has earned first team All-Area the past two seasons and helped the Cardinals win the Camino Real League title and advance to the CIF Southern Section Division 4A championship game, losing to St. Anthony. She led the team with 15.6 points per game and 8.9 rebounds per contest.
She also helped Cantwell-Sacred Heart reach the CIF State playoffs, losing to St. Paul in the second round.
She will now take those numbers to Eastern Washington, which competes in the Big Sky Conference..
“I liked that it was a family-orientated school,” Perkins said. “It was also the team, the girls, the coaching staff, everything. I really liked the program. I think I’ll fit in well.”
But first she is looking for another solid season for Cantwell-Sacred Heart, which is again expected to be one of the better teams in the area, and could compete to get back to a CIF-SS title game and possibly win it.
“I’m really excited (about the season),” Perkins said. “We have really good team this year. We’re all working hard. I expect a good year.”