Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Kaitlin Giacone

By Ray Hamill — It hasn’t taken long for new College of the Sequoias women’s basketball head coach Tyler Newton to work his magic at College of the Sequoias, and former Eureka Logger Kaitlin Giacone has been one of the biggest beneficiaries.

Newton took over in Visialia this past offseason after a tremendously successful spell at Butte College, with several of the Roadrunners and Butte commits following him there, including Giacone.

And the 2024 Eureka High graduate, who was named this year’s Humboldt Sports Big 5 Girls Athlete of the Year, has begun her college career in style.

The Giants are 11-0 on the season and the top-ranked team in the state and Giacone has played a pivotal role in that early-season success.

The 5-foot-10 freshman forward has not started any games but she is seeing substantial minutes off the bench.

In fact, Giaocne is averaging over 21 minutes a game, which is the fourth most on a deep Sequoias roster.

The two-time Big 5 MVP is also averaging 7.4 points a game, which is the fourth best on the team and best among the freshmen, and she is shooting 55.4 percent from the floor, which the third best among the Sequoias players seeing substantial time.

Giacone also has made her presence felt in other ways and is averaging 5.8 rebounds a game and 2.5 assists.

In the 11 games, she also has 19 steals.

The standout freshman scored a season-high 17 points in a 69-39 win over Glendale last month and finished with nine points in this past weekend’s 77-76 win over Mt. San Antonio, nailing all four of her shots.

Former Del Norte Warrior Jacalyn Gorbet also is playing with Sequoias this season and has seen limited action off the bench.

Gorbet has seen playing time in seven games this season, including four of the past five as she adjusts to the collegiate game.

Kaitlin Giacone receives her Humboldt Sports Athlete of the Year trophy this past summer from Jennifer Perrone of Del Reka Distributing, one of the award sponsors.