The Long Shot: Prep rookie Ana Resendiz breaks Diana Taurasi's girls basketball records

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See the Don Lugo sharpshooter in action.

Ana Resendiz, a soft-spoken, studious sort, always liked shooting baskets. It was a relaxing and fun activity — a good release from early-teenage life.

So, down to Westwind Park in Ontario, the then 5-foot-3 freshman would go and fire away. One shot after another after another, over and over again.

She wasn't even a competitive basketball player. She dabbled a little in middle school, but didn't even try out for the freshman team.

But one day, a shooting trainer named Mike Singleton approached her at the park. He noticed she had some natural ability.

"He asked me if I wanted some help," she said. "I said ‘Yes,' and I've been shooting every day since."

Now a senior at Don Lugo (Chino, Calif.), in her first year of competitive high school basketball, Resendiz is the best long-range shooter in the country. Heading into her final regular season game Tuesday, she's made 130 3-pointers in 336 attempts, shattering the school record of 96 set in 1999, a mark set by none other than Diana Taurasi, a player 1 foot taller than Resendiz and infinitely more famous. By many assessments, Taurasi is the best women's basketball player in the world. By every account, Resendiz is essentially a beginner.

Talk about a long shot.

"In many ways, I can't believe it," Resendiz said by phone last week. "It's such a great accomplishment. I mean, she's the greatest player in the world so it feels really good.

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"At the same time, it feels good because of all the work that was put into it. It's nice to know that hard work pays off."

Quiet assassin
Shooting 500 3-pointers a day has been the regular regimen. Resendiz gets to practice 60 to 90 minutes early and launches 300 long-range attempts before second-year coach Eric Waltz gets things going for the 9-12 Conquistadors. Singleton is an assistant coach.

Besides all the 3-pointers — she's made at least 10 in games three times, including a school-record 13 during an 84-21 win over Workman on Dec. 26 — Resendiz averages 22.8 points per game. Her 13 treys broke Taurasi's single-game record as well.

All of it is especially impressive considering she missed all of her junior season — the first year she decided to play high school ball — due to an ACL tear in her right knee. She put off surgery until the spring, leaving her just a couple weeks of playing at full speed before the regular season.

She made seven 3-pointers combined in her first three games before drilling 10 of 20 from beyond the arc en route to 42 points in a 80-39 win over Rosemead.

Resendiz has done it all season despite being bogged down by a bulky knee brace and harassed with double- and even triple-teams.

"She's been nothing short of amazing," Waltz said. "She doesn't say much on the court. There's not much swagger. She just goes out and plays. She takes care of business. I call her the quiet assassin."

She kills with almost perfect shooting form and a lightning-quick release. Not particularly athletic, Resendiz is clever with the ball and skilled enough to create space before launching.

She's shooting just under 40 percent on 3-pointers, 42 percent on two-pointers and 77 percent from the foul line.

"It's all a credit to her persistence in training," Waltz said. "She's got a great shooting coach and she simply puts in the time. She's dialed in all the time."

Though quiet and a good teammate, Resendiz admits she's extremely competitive. Once challenged with records set by Taurasi and the CIF Southern Section mark of 142 in a season, the diminutive senior didn't back down.

"I embraced it," she said. "I like being challenged. I'm very competitive in everything I do, whether it's card games or video games or just basically anything that has to do with winning.

"I want to win."

Next level
She'll need 13 three-pointers in her season finale at Colony (Ontario) Tuesday to break the section mark. A playoff berth isn't looking likely for Don Lugo, so it is probably her last shot.

In an earlier game against Colony, a 43-40 loss, Resendiz scored 24 points despite attempting just six 3-pointers (making four). Colony decided to send her to the line, where she attempted a season-high 12 free throws, making 10.

Slowed recently by an ankle injury, Resendiz has relied more and more on getting to the line. She made all 11 attempts in her last game, a 59-31 win over Montclair.

Don't look for her to be drawing fouls in her finale. The only thing better than breaking the section record would be to meet Taurasi.

"I look up to her so much," she said. "Her and all the great shooters, like Stephen Curry. They play at the highest level. I just want to get to the next level."

There's been no college offers yet. Lack of exposure and her now 5-5 frame haven't helped. But considering where she was three years ago compared with now, "the sky's the limit," Waltz said.

Her shooting range apparently has none.