Elliot Redkey, Kai Morphy of CIF Finals-Bound Bishop Diego Basketball Teams Named Athletes of Week

Bishop Diego basketball players swept the Athlete of the Week awards at Monday’s Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon.

Sophomore Kai Morphy of the Cardinals boys team and junior Elliot Redkey from the girls team were named the honorees after helping their teams reach the CIF-SS finals in their respective divisions.

The boys will play for the 5AA Division title against Arrowhead Christian, while the girls take on Ganesha for the 5A championship. Both games are Saturday at Colony High in Ontario.

Morphy scored 20 points, knocked down four 3-pointers and made clutch free throws down the stretch to help Cardinals beat No. 2 seed Estancia, 49-46, in the 5AA quarterfinals on Tuesday. In the semifinals, he scored 12 points in a 59-50 win over Vistamar.

Redkey scored 18 points and made 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch to lead the Bishop girls to a 42-36 win over Santa Ana Calvary Chapel in the 5A semifinals.

In a 39-34 quarterfinal win, she led a fourth-quarter comeback by beating a pressing Woodcrest Christian defense with her excellent ball-handling.

The honorable mention choices for the female award include Ila Lane (UCSB basketball) Cassidy Miller (San Marcos water polo) and Stephanie Berberabe (Westmont basketball).

The male athletes considered for the award were Zack Torre (UCSB baseball), Max Heidegger (UCSB basketball), Hamilton Finefrock (Bishop Diego baseball), Conner Lee (Dos Pueblos wrestling), Randy DeWeese (UCSB volleyball).

Also honored at Monday’s press luncheon were the Athletes of the Week from two weeks ago: San Marcos water polo player Hannah Meyer and Juan Carlos Torres of the Santa Barbara boys soccer team. 

— Noozhawk sports editor Barry Punzal can be reached at bpunzal@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk Sports on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.