Name: Kenneth Nguyen

School: Fountain Valley

Sport: Basketball

Year: Senior

Noteworthy: Nguyen scored 30 points and had six assists in the Barons’ 79-53 win over Pacifica in the Oxford Academy Winter Tournament. Nguyen was named tournament MVP. He averaged 21 points and seven assists over four games in the tournament. Fountain Valley is 16-2 overall and 0-2 in the Sunset League.

Notable this week: Santa Margarita won the championship of the top division in the Desert Holiday Classic. …  Mater Dei went 4-0 in its division of the Desert Holiday Classic. … Los Alamitos won the championship of the Diamond Division of The Classic at Damien tournament. … Huntington Beach makes its season debut in the Top 25 … Transfers who had to observe the sit-out period became eligible to play on Dec. 26.

BOYS BASKETBALL TOP 25

1. Santa Margarita 19-2: The Eagles won the championship of the top division in the Desert Holiday Classic. They also beat Roosevelt and Fairfax. They are home against St. John Bosco (11-4) in a Trinity League opener Friday.

Previous ranking: 1

2. Crean Lutheran 14-5: The Saints lost to Redondo Union in the semifinals of the Platinum Division in The Classic at Damien. They beat Cypress 72-60 in a Crestview League opener.

Previous ranking: 2

3. JSerra 13-8: The Lions lost to Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks in the championship game of the National Division of the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic.

Previous ranking: 3

4. Corona del Mar 16-1: The Sea Kings finished second in its division of the Desert Holiday Classic. They beat Fountain Valley 64-46 in a Sunset League game, the first loss of the season for the Barons.

Previous ranking: 4

5. Los Alamitos 8-6: The Griffins won the championship of the Diamond Division in The Classic at Damien. They beat Auburn of Washington 60-53 in the division final.

Previous ranking: 7

6. Canyon 11-6: The Comanches went 2-2 in the Diamond Division of The Classic at Damien, then beat Arizona’s No. 3-ranked team Brophy Prep.

Previous ranking: 5

7. Mater Dei 12-7: With their roster improved by recently eligible transfers, the Monarchs won their division of the Desert Holiday Classic.

Previous ranking: 10

8. Cypress 14-7: The Centurions won the championship of the Governors Division in the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic, and lost to Crean Lutheran in a Crestview League game.

Previous ranking: 6

9. Fairmont Prep 10-7: The Huskies went 2-2 in the Diamond Division of The Classic at Damien.

Previous ranking: 8

10. Orange Lutheran 14-5: The Lancers won the consolation championship in the Silver Division of The Classic at Damien.

Previous ranking: 11

11. Pacifica Christian 13-4

Previous ranking: 9

12. Tesoro 17-3

Previous ranking: 12

13. Servite 15-5

Previous ranking: 17

14. La Habra 15-4

Previous ranking: 14

15. El Dorado 16-3

Previous ranking: 13

16. Edison 14-3

Previous ranking: 15

17. Esperanza 18-1

Previous ranking: 16

18. Sonora 15-5

Previous ranking: 20

19. Fountain Valley 16-1

Previous ranking: 21

20. Newport Harbor 13-4

Previous ranking: 19

21. San Clemente 10-9

Previous ranking: 18

22. Huntington Beach 10-7

Previous ranking: Not ranked

23. Villa Park 12-9

Previous ranking: 24

24. Aliso Niguel 11-8

Previous ranking: 25

25. Woodbridge 12-6

Previous ranking: 23

The woman, identiifed by relatives as 39-year-old Alejandra Ramirez Torres, was first reported in the water near Warner Avenue and Harbor Boulevard in Costa Mesa shortly before noon. Authorities said she was hollering for help, according to Fox11.

About 60 firefighters from Orange County, Fountain Valley and Costa Mesa fire departments responded to the scene, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. Swift-water rescue teams later recovered Torres near Ellis Avenue, after she was carried approximately two miles in fast-moving water.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials said Torres was homeless at the time of her death. The circumstances that led to her entering the river were not known.

Torres had lived in Tustin, and leaves behind two daughters, ages 11 and 16, her family said on a GoFundMe established to help cover funeral expenses and provide support for the girls. The family could not be reached for comment Saturday.

“This sudden and heartbreaking loss has deeply affected our family, and we are doing everything we can to support Alejandra’s girls as they face an uncertain future without their mother,” the fundraiser, organized by Michelle Flores Norman, states.

Victor Torres, Alejandra’s cousin, said her daughters were involved in a bus crash in Running Springs in November, when a bus carrying 32 children overturned, CBS News reported.

“Her two girls have been through a lot recently,” Torres told the station. “Right now, they’re with the family. They’re pretty devastated. We’re trying to be there as much as we can for them in the future as well.”

Nigg brings to the city of more than 55,000 residents across 9 square miles some 20 years of fire service experience.

“Public safety is foundational to a strong and prepared community,” Mayor Jim Cunneen said in a statement. “Chief Nigg brings the leadership needed as Fountain Valley continues to strengthen its emergency response capabilities and ensure the Fire Department is well-positioned to serve our community now and into the future.”

Nigg began his career as a firefighter and rose through every rank in the fire service. And before assuming the Fountain Valley Fire Department’s top rank, Nigg served for four years as fire chief in La Verne, where his leadership led to the reopening of one of the city’s fire stations.

“The strength of any fire department is its people,” Nigg said. “My priority is to support the dedicated professionals of the Fountain Valley Fire Department, listen to their voices and work collaboratively to continue delivering the high level of service our community expects. Through transparency, accountability and strong partnerships across Orange County, we will uphold the trust placed in us by those we serve.”

Nigg currently serves as president-elect of the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Association and previously served as president of the Orange County Fire Marshals Association while working as fire marshal for the Fullerton and Brea fire departments.

He holds a master’s degree in emergency services administration from CSULB and is certified by the California State Fire Marshal’s office through State Fire Training.

Nigg fills a vacancy left by the unexpected, off-duty death of his predecessor, Chief Bill McQuaid, in July. Tim Saiki had been serving as acting chief following McQuaid’s passing.

McQuaid was lauded as a hometown boy — he was a graduate of Fountain Valley High School and had joined the fire department in 1996 as a reserve firefighter, eventually rising to the rank of chief in 2023.

Majeed, a 6-foot-8 junior forward who became eligible Friday, scored 20 points as the Monarchs defeated Otay Ranch 98-50 in a first-round game of the Desert Holiday Classic in Palm Springs.

Majeed transferred from IMG Academy. His transfer required that Majeed had to sit out 50 percent of the total days of the boys basketball season.

Junior guard Richie Ramirez led Mater Dei with 23 points. Ramirez is averaging 27 points a game.

Mater Dei, No. 10 in the Orange County Top 25, is 7-6.

In The Classic At Damien:

No. 8 Fairmont Prep 55, Campbell Hall 45: David Abisogun led the Huskies (8-5) with 19 points in their Diamond Division first-round victory.

Fairmont Prep plays No. 14 La Habra (12-3) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Ramona Middle School in La Verne.

No. 2 Crean Lutheran 62, Owyhee (Idaho) 59: The Saints (11-3) won their first-round game in the Platinum Division, the tournament’s top division.

Hunter Caplan led Crean Lutheran with 20 points. Chadrack Mpoyi scored 15 points and Nick Giarusso scored 13.

The Saints play Sandra Day O’Connor (Arizona) on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Damien High. O’Connor (10-4) defeated Corona Centennial on Friday.

No. 5 Canyon 50, San Ramon Valley 47: Rami Awad scored 15 points with three 3-point baskets to lead the victorious Comanches (8-3) in the Diamond Division.

Canyon will play Central (Arizona) in the second round Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at Ramona Middle School.

In the Oxford Academy Tournament:

No. 21 Fountain Valley 78, Saddleback 48: Kendall Nguyen’s 18 points led the Barons (13-0). Isaac Chinchilla added 14 points for Fountain Valley.

In the Rancho Mirage Christmas Tournament:

No. 4 Corona del Mar 61, Upland 39: Maxwell Scott scored 20 points with seven rebounds, Oliver Nakra scored 18 points with four 3-point basketball and Luke Mirhashemi contributed assists for the Sea Kings (13-0).

In the Torrey Pines Invitational:

No. 6 Cypress 64, Mira Costa 51: Ryan Gov scored 20 points and Ethan Mai scored 18 for the Centurions (11-5).

Mai made six 3-point shots.

Corona del Mar proved that Tuesday. Five players for the Sea Kings scored in double figures in their 74-71 win over Cypress in the Orange County North/South Challenge at Tesoro High.

Junior guard Maxwell Scott scored 17 points. Senior guards Aiden Cole and Oliver Nakra scored 14 points each, senior guard Luke Mirhashemi scored 13 points and sophomore guard Nolan Scott added 11.

The Sea Kings, No. 4 in this week’s Orange County Top 25, are undefeated at 12-0. No. 6 Cypress is 10-5.

Cypress took a 54-53 lead into the fourth quarter. A 3-point basket by Nakra was an important one, giving Corona del Mar a 64-60 lead. Nakra made another 3 a couple of minutes later, and a basket by Maxwell Scott later pushed the Sea Kings’ lead to 71-64.

The Centurions twice trimmed their deficit to three points in the fourth quarter but did not get closer.

Mirhashemi liked the Sea Kings’ effort Tuesday.

“We played super hard,” Mirhashemi said. “Our coaches do a great job of getting us prepared for every game.”

Junior guard Brennen De La Cruz led Cypress with 18 points. Senior guards Ryan Gov and Ethan Mai scored 13 points each for the Centurions.

The Orange County North/South Challenge is being played for the 26th time. The event is dedicated to the late Tim O’Brien, who coached at Northwood, Estancia and elsewhere in Orange County boys basketball.

Also in the Orange County North/South Challenge on Tuesday:

No. 2 Crean Lutheran 72, No. 7 Los Alamitos 69: Hunter Caplan made four free throws in the final 17 seconds to keep the Saints ahead in the final game of the eight-game event.

Crean Lutheran is 10-3. Los Alamitos is 4-6.

Caplan, a junior guard, scored a game-high 24 points including five 3-point baskets. Crean Lutheran 6-11 senior Chadrack Mpoyi scored 16 points.

Los Alamitos was led by sophomore guard Isaiah Williamson’s 19 points. Senior forward Tyler Lopez scored 17 points and sophomore guard Riley Bowers 15 added 15 points for the Griffins.

The Griffins led at various times during the fast-paced game, including a 67-66 lead with 1:35 left in the fourth quarter. Los Alamitos’ frenetic style bothered Crean Lutheran, but Crean Lutheran’s size advantages were in a large way responsible for the Saints’ victory.

No. 12 Tesoro 61, Irvine 46: Max Draper scored 18 points with 17 rebounds for the Titans (13-2).

Carson Hatch added 15 points for Tesoro.

No. 18 San Clemente 59, No. 23 Woodbridge 49: Bryan Blake scored 24 points and Desi Gutierrez scored 23 for the Tritons (7-7) in their win over the Warriors (10-4).

No. 21 Fountain Valley 67, Trabuco Hills 65 (OT): Kenneth Nguyen made two 3-point baskets in overtime for the Barons (12-0) in their victory over the Mustangs (9-7).

Nguyen finished with a team-high 21 points including four 3-pointers. Nguyen made his other two 3s in the fourth quarter. Isaac Chinchilla scored 17 points and James Pennington contributed 13 points for Fountain Valley.

Ryan Hull scored 24 points for Trabuco Hills. Devon Williams added 19 points for the Mustangs.

San Juan Hills 68, Tustin 51: Rocco Jensen’s 27 points led the Stallions (9-5) over the Tillers (8-8).

Stallions coach Jason Efstatiou said Tuesday’s game was a rare one for San Juan Hills because the team finally had a full-health roster.

San Juan Hills got off to a solid start and had a 27-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.

In other North/South Challenge games Huntington Beach defeated Dana Hills 69-39 and Northwood defeated El Toro 74-57.

The Centurions have defeated three teams ranked in the Orange County Top 25 since Dec. 12. They beat Orange Lutheran 75-68 in the North Orange County Championships tournament before nonleague wins over San Clemente 57-50 and Fairmont Prep 59-49.

This week’s county rankings have Fairmont Prep at No. 8, Orange Lutheran at No. 11 and San Clemente at No. 18. Cypress is No. 6, having moved up from No. 17 last week.

Cypress beat Fairmont Prep without All-County point guard Ryan Gov, who was out because of a sprained ankle.

Centurions 6-7 senior forward Gavin Kroll scored 25 points and Emmanuel Igbekoyi, also a 6-7 senior forward, scored 22 in the win over Orange Lutheran.

Kroll scored 18 points with four 3-point baskets against San Clemente. He scored 18 points with four 3s and five blocked shots in the win over Fairmont Prep.

“Kroll’s been awesome,” Cypress coach Derek Mitchell said. “His offense overshadows how good his defense was last week, especially against David Abisogun of Fairmont.”

Abisogun, among Orange County’s top 10 players and a Texas State, signee, was limited to 12 points against Cypress.

Senior guard Ethan Mai took over the on-court leadership duties in Gov’s absence.

Mitchell said Gov, who committed to Azusa Pacific University this month, might play against Corona del Mar on Tuesday in the Orange County North/South Challenge at Tesoro High.

NORTH/SOUTH CHALLENGE

The Orange County North/South Challenge is Tuesday at Tesoro.

The schedule (including teams’ Orange County ranking): El Toro vs. Northwood, 9 a.m.; Dana Hills vs. Huntington Beach, 10:30 a.m.; Trabuco Hills vs. No. 21 Fountain Valley, noon; San Juan Hills vs. Tustin, 1:30 p.m.; No. 18 San Clemente vs. No. 23 Woodbridge, 3 p.m.; No. 12 Tesoro vs. Irvine, 4:30 p.m.; No. 4 Corona del Mar vs. No. 6 Cypress, 6 p.m.; No. 2 Crean Lutheran vs. No. 7 Los Alamitos, 7:30 p.m.

Admission is $12 for adults, $5 for students and those of ages 5-12. Free admission is available for children under 5 years old.

The North/South Challenge is dedicated to the late Tim O’Brien, who coached at a few schools in Orange County, including leading Estancia to a state championship in 1991. O’Brien died of cancer in 2020.

NOTES

The sit-out period for transfers who did not make a change of address upon transferring ends Friday. Many teams will improve. Among them is Fairmont Prep, where the Huskies will add 6-2 guard Jordan Ceballos, who showed much promise last season as a freshman at Crean Lutheran, and 6-8 senior forward Eric Gong from St. John Bosco. …

La Habra junior guard Javier Nash is out for the remainder of the season because of torn knee cartilage. He was a key starter for the Highlanders. …

The Charlie Wilkins Memorial Tournament is underway at Westminster High. Orange County teams in that one are Saddleback, Tarbut V’Torah, University and host school Westminster. …

Post-Christmas tournaments in Orange County include the Estancia Coast Classic at Estancia High and the Ringo Bossenmeyer/Tustin Holiday Classic at Tustin High; the latter is named for longtime Tustin coach Ringo Bossenmeyer who retired from coaching after the 2024-25 season. The Estancia tournament includes county teams Marina, Newport Harbor, San Clemente, Western and Woodbridge. The Tustin tournament includes county teams Beckman, Servite, Tesoro and Tustin. …

Many O.C. teams are playing after Christmas in The Classic at Damien tournament. The tournament has nine divisions. Crean Lutheran is in the top division, the Platinum Division.

Notable this week: Cypress rises from No. 17 last week to No. 6 this week after victories over then-No. 15 San Clemente and No. 4 Fairmont Prep. … Santa Margarita stays on top after close wins over Basha and Bishop Gorman in the Tarkanian Classic tournament in Las Vegas. … Canyon’s young team climbs after a win over rival Villa Park. … Los Alamitos continues its rise after a 20-point win over Torrey Pines. … Corona del Mar and Fountain Valley take undefeated records into this week.

1. Santa Margarita 13-1: The Eagles advanced to the semifinals of the top division of the Tarkanian Classic, the Platinum Division, including a win, 86-79, in overtime over Bishop Gorman. Drew Anderson scored 29 points with 19 rebounds.

Previous ranking: 1

2. Crean Lutheran 9-3: The Saints lost to Sierra Canyon, 69-40, a team widely considered No. 1 in the CIF Southern Section. They play in the top division of The Classic at Damien after Christmas.

Previous ranking: 2

3. JSerra 8-5: The Lions won their first two games in the Tarkanian Classic’s Spalding Division by one-sided scores, 88-60 over Bingham and 70-35 over Mojave.

Previous ranking: 3

4. Corona del Mar 11-0: The undefeated Sea Kings did not play last week. They will play No. 7 Cypress in the Orange County North/South Challenge at Tesoro on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Previous ranking: 5.

5. Canyon 7-3: Often with three freshmen on the court at the same time, Canyon beat Villa Park 65-58 in the Challenge For CHOC showcase at Sonora. They will play in the post-Christmas Classic at Damien’s Diamond Division.

Previous ranking: 9

6. Cypress 10-4: The Centurions had a great week, with wins of 57-50 over San Clemente and 59-49 over Fairmont Prep. They play Corona del Mar at Tesoro on Tuesday.

Previous ranking: 17

7. Los Alamitos 4-5: The Griffins impressed again with a 73-53 win over Torrey Pines. They continue their rugged schedule by taking on Crean Lutheran at Tesoro on Tuesday.

Previous ranking: 10

8. Fairmont Prep 7-5: The Huskies beat Oak Hills 52-47 and lost to Cypress 59-49. They will play in the Diamond Division of The Classic at Damien after Christmas.

Previous ranking: 4

9. Pacifica Christian 11-2: The Tritons have won eight in a row since a loss to Rolling Hills Prep. They will play in the Silver Division of The Classic at Damien.

Previous ranking: 6

10. Mater Dei 7-5: The Monarchs went 1-1 over the first two days of the Tarkanian Classic. They had an 87-61 win over Coeur d’Alene as Richie Ramirez scored 41 points and Luke Barnett scored 33.

Previous ranking: 7

11. Orange Lutheran 10-4

Previous ranking: 10

12. Tesoro 12-2

Previous ranking: 11

13. El Dorado 11-1

Previous ranking: 12

14. La Habra 11-3

Previous ranking: 13

15. Edison 9-2

Previous ranking: 14

16. Esperanza 13-1

Previous ranking: 16

17. Servite 11-3

Previous ranking: 18

18. San Clemente 6-7

Previous ranking: 15

19. Newport Harbor 9-3

Previous ranking: 19

20. Sonora 10-4

Previous ranking: 21

21. Fountain Valley 11-0

Previous ranking: 22

22. Foothill 5-5

Previous ranking: 20

23. Woodbridge 10-3

Previous ranking: 23

24. Villa Park 10-6

Previous ranking: 24

25. Aliso Niguel 9-5

Previous ranking: 25

Notable this week: Los Alamitos enters the Top 10 after a 57-50 win over state-ranked Rolling Hills Prep. … Orange Lutheran lost to Cypress 75-66 in the North Orange County Championships. … Corona del Mar (11-0) remains undefeated. … Two teams enter this week’s rankings: Fountain Valley (10-0) at No. 22 and Newport Harbor (8-3) at No. 19. … The Sailors won the Western Showcase tournament last week.

BOYS BASKETBALL TOP 25

1. Santa Margarita 11-1: The Eagles beat Village Christian and Millikan. Their next game is in the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas.

Previous ranking: 1

2. Crean Lutheran 9-2: The Saints beat state-ranked teams Archbishop Riordan and Crespi.

Previous ranking: 3

3. JSerra 6-5: The Lions went 1-2 last week. They are in the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas this week.

Previous ranking: 2

4. Fairmont Prep 6-4: The Huskies went 0-3 against some standout competition in the Bosco Classic.

Previous ranking: 4

5. Corona del Mar 11-0: The Sea Kings were 4-0 last week, including an 83-59 win over Villa Park.

Previous ranking: 5

6. Pacifica Christian 9-2: The Tritons went 3-0 in a tournament in Washington state.

Previous ranking: 6

7. Mater Dei 6-4: The Monarchs lost to Corona Centennial in the San Juan Invitational championship game. They are in the Tarkanian Classic this week.

Previous ranking: 8

8. Los Alamitos 3-5: The Griffins beat Rolling Hills Prep, the No. 25 team in last week’s CalHiSports.com state rankings.

Previous ranking: 13

9. Canyon 6-3: Canyon was 3-1 in the North Orange County Championships, finishing with a 65-52 win over Rancho Verde.

Previous ranking: 9

10. Orange Lutheran 8-4: The Lancers beat La Serna and Sonora, lost to Cypress in the North Orange County Championships.

Previous ranking: 7

11. Tesoro 11-2

Previous ranking: 10

12. El Dorado 10-1

Previous ranking: 11

13. La Habra 10-3

Previous ranking: 12

14. Edison 9-2

Previous ranking: 14

15. San Clemente 6-5

Previous ranking: 15

16. Esperanza 12-1

Previous ranking: 16

17. Cypress 8-4

Previous ranking: 18

18. Servite 10-3

Previous ranking: 17

19. Newport Harbor 8-3

Previous ranking: Not ranked

20. Foothill 5-5

Previous ranking: 23

21. Sonora 8-4

Previous ranking: 19

22. Fountain Valley 10-0

Previous ranking: Not ranked

23. Woodbridge 9-3

Previous ranking: 20

24. Villa Park 9-5

Previous ranking: 21

25. Aliso Niguel 8-4

Previous ranking: 22

Swift, who owns a consulting business, is now vying for California’s 70th Assembly District, an Orange County district that includes communities in Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Los Alamitos and Westminster. It’s represented now by Assemblymember Tri Ta, R-Westminster, who is running for reelection next year.

“Nothing would make me happier than to be able to serve in my own community,” said Swift, noting she’s lived in the area for more than 20 years.  

Swift is a longtime advocate for foster youth and domestic violence victims, and she said that would be her focus in the legislature as well. She used to work for a nonprofit that advocated for children in foster care, particularly those who were aging out of the system, before pandemic-related budget cuts eliminated her position.

And Swift said she is herself a survivor of domestic violence in her past, crediting the Westminster Police Department with providing help when she needed it.

The Rossmoor resident had earlier launched a bid for a congressional district that included communities in eastern Orange County as well as some in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, represented now by Rep. Young Kim, R-Anaheim Hills.

But the redistricting ballot measure California voters passed last month redrew the district boundaries a bit, setting up a battle between Kim and fellow Republican incumbent Rep. Ken Calvert, as well as a few other Democratic and independent candidates.

Swift said she supported Proposition 50, but the shifting of California’s 40th Congressional District put her home too far outside of the district for her to feel she could truly represent the community.

“I believe the people in the new 40th (District), they need someone who is there,” Swift said of her decision to focus on a legislative seat closer to home.

Swift’s Los Angeles-based firm offers consulting services and keynote presentations that “inspire resilience, self-determination and confidence, empowering workgroups, sales teams and executive leaders alike to excel in dynamic environments,” according to its website.

She said she views herself more as a public servant than a politician, should she be elected to the Assembly.

“I plan to and will be completely present in listening to the concerns of the community,” said Swift. “I want people to know that my goal has always been throughout my life of service to be that voice to the voiceless and providing access and resources to people who are often unheard and unseen.”

In the Assembly, Ta serves on the lower chamber’s Appropriations Committee and is vice chair of the Local Government Committee as well as the Revenue and Taxation Committee. A former Westminster Council member, Ta was first elected to represent the district that includes Little Saigon in 2022.

Registered Democrats make up 35.73% of voters in the 70th Assembly District, according to the latest tally from the secretary of state’s office, while Republicans account for 33.78% and 24.58% are no party preference.

Ta beat Democrat Jimmy Pham in his reelection bid last year by nearly 10 percentage points.