After 10 smash years, one of Hanford's best sister acts will continue on the next level.

Hanford High seniors Taylor and Madison Spikes made it official Monday, both signing letters of intent to continue their basketball careers at Vanguard University.

"We've been playing together so long, we decided to keep going," said Madison Spikes.

"This is something they've been working for the last eight years," said Bullpups coach Tom Parrish, who has been with them every step of the way since they started playing club basketball.

Taylor Spikes averaged 10.5 points, 1.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game last year for the Bullpups, who won a second straight Central Section title en route to a 26-5 record. Madison Spikes averaged 3.8 points, one assist and 2.8 rebounds per game last year.

Vanguard, a liberal arts school based in Costa Mesa, won the NAIA championship in 2008 and has been in the NAIA's Elite Eight the past seven years, said assistant coach Brian Roberts.

It's previous claim to fame locally may have been being a member of the Golden State Athletic Conference along with Fresno Pacific. Its ambitious exhibition schedule included games against Connecticut, ranked No. 1 in this week's AP poll; Stanford, ranked No. 2; Arizona State, ranked No. 17; Cal, ranked No. 22; and San Francisco.

"We're really excited about them being here, but we're more impressed with them as people," Roberts said. "We look for people from winning program and Hanford and coach Parrish is one of the programs where they do things right."

That personal interest tipped the scales for the girls as well.

"I was really impressed with the community," said Madison Spikes.

"I liked the Christian staff and the team seemed like a fun group," Taylor Spikes added.

Both hope to be teachers when their basketball days are done.

They also have high hopes for their final season with the Bullpups, which begins next week at the Brea tournament.

"We're going for State this year," Taylor Spikes said.

(Nov. 24, 2009)