The GBL Lady Rebels and the Corona Diamonds faced each other many weekends in local AAU tournaments across Southern California. This was way, way back — sometime around third grade.

Jordin Canada, then on the Rebels, and Monique Billings, then on the Diamonds, knew of each other.

Little Canada would storm down court, dropping in layup after layup,authentic nfl jerseys cheap with few able to catch up. “It was basically how it is now,” Billings said with a laugh.

And there was young Billings. She’d stretch her arms out and call for the ball on the block. “She was super tall,” Canada said.

Neither knew that they’d wind up college teammates at UCLA. Now they are in their final season wearing blue and gold together, with one last shot in the NCAA tournament. The seniors lead the ninth-ranked Bruins (24-7) into the Big Dance after falling to UConn 86-71 in last season’s Sweet 16.

The road ahead won’t be easy. UCLA received a No. 3 seed in the Kansas City Regional, and will host the first and second rounds. The Bruins face 14th-seeded American, the Patriot League champ, on Saturday. If they win, a potential showdown with sixth-seeded Iowa and Megan Gustafson, the nation’s leading scorer, awaits in the second round on Monday.

UCLA lost to sixth-ranked Oregon in the Pac-12 tournament semifinals on March 3, marking its third loss against the Ducks this season. Canada had 19 points, and Billings had 18.

Late in the first quarter,nfl jerseys for cheap Billings outstretched her arms in the passing lane and stole the ball. Canada instinctively ran down court. Billings gave the ball up to her point guard for the easy deuce. Billings clapped while both ran back on defense.