Desert Vista's girls basketball team seems to be hitting on all cylinders halfway through January as its 60-42 thrashing of Hamilton on Wednesday night illustrates.

Desert Vista players are getting comfortable with their roles that currently fit like a glove for first-year coach Will Gray as he tries to guide the Lady Thunder to a second consecutive Division I crown. The Lady Thunder began the night No. 3 in D-I power rankings with Hamilton resting in the top spot.

Led for the night by Kristine Anigwe, Sabrina Haines and Toni Davis on the scoring end, Desert Vista (15-3 overall, 9-0 power-ranking games) bolted to a 20-8 lead after the first period and kept Hamilton at bay through to the end. Anigwe and Haines scored 15 points apiece and Davis added 14. Once Desert Vista's lead reached double digits late in the first period it never sunk below that level again.

Gray doesn't have his team pull back at any point. Even with a lead of 25 in the final period, most of his starters were still plugging away in the final minutes. It's the push Gray wants to make.

"That's what we like to do," Gray said. "We go from whistle to whistle. We wanted a fast-paced tempo. We got it, and it helped us get in front."

Anigwe, the 6-foot-4 Cal-bound post, was defended well in the paint in the half-court game. But she shined, as did her team in transition. Often that transition started with the sticky hands of junior point guard Tatum Brimley, who collected a handful of steals leading to several layups.
Half of Anigwe's baskets were in transition. Brimley's role is defense and assists and she didn't falter in this marquee contest. 

"Kristine is one of our fastest players," Gray said. "She runs well. I think she needs to be able to do that for the college game and not be a one-dimensional post."

Haines can score from anywhere on the floor. She sank the only 3 among her team's starters. Her seven first-quarter points were big in the fast start. Davis and Alexis Barfield thrive in transition. They scored all their points save two from the perimeter.

For Hamilton, Wednesday marked the first time the Lady Huskies had lost a power-ranking game this season. Hamilton is 13-6, 10-1 ptg.

"Their transition got us tonight," Hamilton coach Jeff Kain said. "I think nerves and coming out a little flat in the first quarter hurt us. We played them pertty close after the first quarter. It started getting away late in the third."

Hamilton wasn't helped in the first half by its shooting. It hung in on the boards, actually getting off more shots in the first half then Desert Vista. But Desert Vista hit on 13-of-27 attempts; Hamilton was  5-of-30.

Hamilton is one team that can match up size with Anigwe and tried to with a good degree of success. Maya Banks (6-3) and Zayn Dornstauder (6-3) scored 15 points and 10 points, respectively. Dornstauder finished with a double-double, grabbing 13 rebounds. Banks and Dornstauder challenged Angiwe in the post, but had a tough time finishing shots. They coaxed Angiwe in foul trouble with two fouls in the first quarter and a third with one minute left in the first half. Anigwe fouled out in the final two minutes, but exited with eight rebounds and six blocks to go with her point total.