GIRLS: WAITING, THEN WORKING TOGETHER ANTELOPES' AUTRY, ADAMS REAP REWARDS OF EARLIER SACRIFICES.

Byline: RAMONA SHELBURNE AND VINCENT BONSIGNORE Staff Writer

After three years of waiting for the spotlight, Antelope Valley's Shakira Autry and Kiesha Adams have finally earned their turn.

``It feels great. It's all been worth it,'' said Adams, who made a critical steal and assist in the 48-46 victory over Quartz Hill last week that clinched a share of the Golden League title. ``I had to go through a lot to get here, but I made it.''

As freshmen, Autry and Adams were on the junior varsity while Sheena Crenshaw, Shaquina Mosely and Kristal Fox were leading the team to its third consecutive Golden League championship.

As sophomores, they were role players when A.V. finished second to Palmdale and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Div. II-AA playoffs.

Last season, A.V. struggled to a third-place finish in league and lost in the second round of the playoffs.

This season, Autry and Adams took it upon themselves to be team leaders.

``It was difficult to wait, because I knew I had enough skills to step up, but I had to let the seniors do their thing because it was their last year, like it is for me now,'' said Autry, who leads the team in scoring at 18 points a game. ``But it was worth the wait. It made me more mature in the game. I wish I could've showed what I could do earlier, but at least I had my chance this year.''

But in order to get along on the court, Autry and Adams had to settle their differences off it.

During their first three years together, Adams and Autry didn't exactly hit it off. They played the same position and were usually competing for playing time. With accomplished upperclassmen ahead of them, that made the competition between the two all the more heated.

``It was a rough road,'' Autry said. ``But we put it together this year and make it work. We had to. Because we wanted to win.

``We never really talked face to face about it. We kind of just got on the court and looked at each other and said let's make it work. To me, she's the best point guard in the Antelope Valley.''

Adams said her differences with Autry were magnified by outsiders.

``People always tried to put us against each other,'' Adams said. ``It was just the outside, we were always friends. We sat down and talked about it and got a lot of stuff resolved.''

Whatever was said, or not said, has worked.

Antelope Valley won its last four games to finish in a tie for first place with Palmdale, giving the Antelopes their fifth league championship in girls' basketball.

Although Autry and Adams were around for the 2002 championship, this one means a lot more to them because of the sacrifices they've made to get here.

After Antelope Valley finishes the playoffs, Autry and Adams likely will go separate ways. Autry has some interest from Southern Utah, but is hoping to get more later in the year when she starts sending out highlight tapes. Adams would like to follow Fox, her cousin, to UNLV.

But when they leave, the memories they take from this season will be of coming together, after a three-year wait apart.

Ramona Shelburne, [phone]

ramona.shelburne(at)dailynews.com

BOYS: League makes early statement

Five Golden teams remain after a trio of wild-card wins

Antelope Valley boys' basketball coach Ed Campbell heard the whispers and read the Internet message boards.

There were the questions why the Antelopes drew a home game in the wild-card round of the Southern Section Div. I-A playoffs despite finishing fifth in the Golden League.

And there were the ones who spoke badly of the Golden League as a whole, compared to others in the section.

``All I ever said was that we applied for a playoff berth just like everyone else who had (the necessary amount of victories) and I have no control whatsoever as to how the (Southern Section) decides who gets in and who gets the home game.'' Campbell said. ``We just play the game.''

Or in the Antelopes' case, win the game. Antelope Valley beat Kaiser of Fontana 63-58 Wednesday in a Div. I-A wild-card game to advance to tonight's first round at sixth-seeded Valley View of Moreno Valley.

In doing so, they joined Golden League mates Highland and Lancaster in advancing out of the wild-card round, perhaps earning a measure of respect for a league that continually fights for mention among the section's strongest.

``I'm definitely proud of the league for going 3-0, but I'd love to see two or three of us get to an elite eight or a final four or beyond,'' Campbell said. ``Because that's how you earn respect - you earn it by playing deep into the playoffs.''

At the very least, the Golden League is off to a great start. Of course, it gets a lot tougher, beginning tonight with the start of the first round.

Lancaster, which beat Millikan of Long Beach 74-58, travels to Redlands at 7:30 p.m. in a Div. I-AA first-round game. Highland, which beat Murrieta Valley 86-79 Wednesday, plays at Silverado of Victorville at 7:30 in a Div. I-AA first round game.

Also, Golden League champion Quartz Hill plays host to Santa Ana Valley, and Palmdale gets visiting Montclair.

``This definitely makes a nice statement for the league.'' Lancaster coach Jesse Parker said. ``We got five teams in, and for five teams to still be here after the wild-card round, you know we did a great job.''

Highland, which had 33 points from leading scorer Tomoreo Allen on Wednesday, hopes to continue its hot shooting tonight at Silverado. The Bulldogs got a much-needed lift off the bench, and will need a similar effort from their reserves to get past the next round.

``At this point in the year, you need great efforts every game,'' Highland coach Jeff Smith said. ``Hey, our next bad game will be our last game of the year. That's what it boils down to in the playoffs.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 3 boxes

Photo:

(1) Shakira Autry, left, and Kiesha Adams helped lead Antelope Valley to a share of its fifth Golden League title.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer

(2) Tomoreo Allen and Highland were one of three Golden League teams to win wild-card games Wednesday night, bringing the total number of league teams alive in the first round to five.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News

Box:

(1) TIME OUT

(2) STANDINGS

(3) COMING UP