Fresno City College women’s basketball team has a powerhouse duo in the Sayama twins — Taryn and Sarina, 20-year-old sophomore guards from Hanford California.
The Sayamas, who just turned 20, were born to a Filipino mother and Guamanian father who involved them in many sports when they were little girls. When they were 8 years old, the girls decided to pursue basketball year around, opting to play basketball for the National Junior Basketball league when the school basketball
Their parents divorced when they were very young which left Mrs. Sayama a single mother. “My mom was the provider,” Taryn said. “She did everything on her own.” Mrs. Sayama worked around the clock but managed to attend every game. “She was always there,” Sarina said.
Mrs. Sayama told her daughters constantly, “Do what makes you happy, and always work hard at everything you do.”
Sarina was born nine minutes before Taryn and is the extrovert of the two. When they were little, Sarina was also the defender of the two as well as the trouble maker. Taryn said, “I remember, if anyone would pick on us, she would be the one to say something in defense. She is definitely the more outgoing one.”
Sarina is No.6 on the Central Valley Conference leading scorer board. She averaged 12.9 points a game and racked 59 three-pointers.
Taryn finished the Central Valley Conference at No. 4 on the leading scorer board. She made 428 points and averaged 14.3 points per game this season. The twins both made this year’s All-CVC First Team [team made up of the conference outstanding players.]
Sarina and Taryn Sayama said their family is very important to them, so when they found out they were named to the All Central Valley Conference First Team, the first thing they did was to call their family. “I was excited and happy,” Sarina said. “We told our whole family, and they were proud of us.” Taryn agrees, “It made it that much better knowing they [their family] were proud.”
The Sayama twins’ basketball odyssey started at Hanford High School. It was there that they got their first national spotlight. The Hanford Bullpups, the high school basketball team the twins played on was the Central Valley champions three years in a row. The Bullpups were ranked No. 16 in the nation and No. 6 in the State of California during their senior season.
Upon graduation from high school in 2010, Sarina and Taryn decided to move to Fresno and play for Fresno City College under Coach Brian Tessler.
“They have kept the strong FCC women’s basketball tradition of hard working and respectful young women,” said Tessler. The twins said that in their first year playing for FCC, they did not know how to handle Tessler’s coaching style.
“He is the coolest teacher and an intense coach,” said Sarina. “We learned you have to listen to what he is saying, not how he is saying it,” said Taryn. This year, their FCC team made the final four of the state tournament.
The Sayamas say they are undecided about the future. What they both know is that they want to continue playing basketball at a four-year college. What they are not sure of is which school they want to attend or whether or not they are going to the same school. “We are not scared to separate, but it would be different,” said Taryn. They have never ever been separated for extended periods of time.
“In high school, we had our different friends but were always around each other,” said Sarina. “To be at completely different schools would be really different.”
