Coach Jared Honig has Valencia girls’ basketball team in D1 semifinals

One of the hardest decisions for Jared Honig was made three years ago. He graduated from Granada Hills High and was a teacher and women’s basketball coach at his alma mater “forever.”

But he and his wife lived in Santa Clarita and just had a third child.

So when the Valencia High School girls basketball coaching position opened up, the decision was made to leave Granada Hills and be closer to home. Three years later, Honig puts Valencia in the Southern Section Division 1 semifinals with a Saturday night playoff game at home against Windward.

The team is moving up. The Vikings knocked off Troy and the winningest coach in California history, Kevin Kiernan, in the quarterfinals.

“This is my first time coaching against him,” Honig said. “It was pretty cool.”

Leading the Vikings is sophomore Kamilla Basyrova, who made a school record 94 three-pointers last season and has already broken that record this season with an average of 19.8 points.

“Kamilla is an incredible three-point shooter,” Honig said.

Senior Cara McKell averages 17.8 points. The Vikings face an improving Windward team that struggled early but caught fire, led by Charis Rainey.

Honig begins preparing her two daughters and son for future basketball competitions. They are 8, 6 and 3 years old. He found a new home at Valencia High School.

This is a daily look at positive happenings in high school sports. To submit news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.