When she first arrived at Palisades High three years ago, Kayla Merrill-Gillett’s goals were to return the Dolphins’ girls basketball team to the top of the City Section and to sign with a college program.
Her first goal was achieved in March when she led Palisades to its second straight City Open Division title. Her second goal was reached last week when she signed to play for Cal State Dominguez Hills under new head coach Janell Jones.
Cal State Dominguez Hills, an NCAA Division II school, is a member of the California Collegiate Athletic Conference.
A 5-foot-9 point guard, Merrill-Gillett averaged 13.7 points, 2.5 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 steals while earning All-Western League and All-City first team honors for the Dolphins last season. She and LA City Player of the Year Chelsey Gipson were regarded as one of the top backcourt tandems in the state.
Merrill-Gillett averaged 17.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.3 steals per game as a junior and 10.2 points, 5.6 assists and 2.3 steals as a sophomore at Palisades. She averaged 11.6 points as a freshman on varsity at North Hills Monroe in 2012-13.
— Steve Galluzzo
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