Tuesday the Bear Cubs (13-13, 7-5) made the 60-mile drive to Pleasant Hill to face the conference-leading Vikings of Diablo Valley College (22-5, 11-1), who came into game ranked #2 in the North and #4 in the State. The Vikings started the game with a 3-pointer and Jenna Dunbar matched it. Their next trip down they made two free throws and Jenna Dunbar followed with a field goal. Then the home team went on a 13-0 run before Vai Thompson scored on an inbounds play at the 14:42 mark. By the time Alicia Mehtlan scored their next basket, the Bear Cubs were down 9-27 halfway through the period. During the remainder of the first half, Brooke Santander hit four field goals, and Alicia Mehtlan made one along with six free throws to just keep pace with their opponents, who took a 44-27 advantage into halftime.
To start the second half, the Vikings scored on their first possession and Jenna Dunbar answered with a field goal. The two teams played evenly and after five minutes of play the Vikings' margin was 55-37. Then the Bear Cubs' trapping defense began working successfully, which energized their offense. Brooke Santander sank two 3-pointers and a field goal to help her team close the gap to 55-60 at the 9:42 mark. Annie Studdert's 3-point play, another 3-pointer and field goal by Brooke Santander, one of two free throws by Amber Hart, and two free throws and a field goal by Alicia Mehtlan moved the Bear Cubs to 68-70 with 2:35 on the clock. The Vikings sank a field goal, then Jenna Dunbar swished a 3-pointer. The Bear Cubs' defense forced the Vikings to inbound the ball under their basket with one second on the shot clock. Niambi Saint Louis intercepted the long inbounds pass and drove down to bank in the layup, putting the Bear Cubs ahead 73-72 with 1:10 left. The Vikings' leading scorer, Sabrea Coleman, who had already tallied 20 points, scored on a drive 10 seconds later. Alicia Mehtlan was fouled during a scramble for an offensive rebound and made both of the 1+1 free throws with 37 seconds on the clock to put the Bear Cubs ahead 75-74. The Vikings pushed the ball and Coleman dribbled around three defenders who failed to foul her before she ended up making it all the way to the basket to bank in a shot to retake the lead with just two seconds remaining. The Bear Cubs quickly inbounded and Jenna Dunbar drew a foul with 1.7 seconds showing on the clock. It was the Vikings' tenth foul, so Jenna would go to the line to shoot two free throws. The Diablo Valley coach called a timeout. When play resumed, Jenna missed the first shot but made the second to tie the score at 76. The Vikings inbounded, but their 65-foot shot fell short, sending the game into overtime.
The Vikings won the tip to start the 5-minute overtime period and quickly scored a field goal and one free throw before Brooke Santander made one of two free throws with 3:29 on the clock. The Vikings answered with Coleman's 3-pointer. Jenna Dunbar's field goal at the 2:48 mark put the score at 79-82. Coleman added two free throws 39 seconds later. Jenna Dunbar's two free throws with 1:52 remaining made the score 81-84. The Bear Cubs prevented the Vikings from scoring and Brooke Santander was fouled with 57 seconds remaining. She missed the first but made the second, making the score 82-84. Following a Vikings' missed field goal attempt, the Bear Cubs grabbed the rebound and pushed the ball while Coach Campbell tried to call a timeout. But the referees didn't see her as her team lost control of the ball. The Bear Cubs had to foul. The Diablo Valley player made the first of the 1+1 and missed the second. The rebound took a long bounce and the Vikings' center grabbed the ball. The Bear Cubs fouled her. She went to the line to shoot 1+1. She missed and again the Vikings ended up with the rebound. The Bear Cubs fouled Coleman with 2 seconds to go. She missed the first then made the second. The Bear Cubs tried to throw a long inbounds pass, but it was intercepted as the buzzer sounded on the 82-86 loss.
The Vikings made 15 out of 30 shots (50%) in the first half while the Bear Cubs made just 10 out of 33 (30%). The Bear Cubs bounced back in the second half to score 49 points on 17 of 44 shots (39%), but made only 1 out of 6 (17%) in overtime. Seven Diablo Valley players scored in the first half with five of them making two or more baskets, including seven 3-pointers. Sabrea Coleman led all scorers with 31 points.
Brooke Santander again led the Bear Cubs in scoring with a season-high 25 points on 10 for 19 shooting, and she also grabbed 9 rebounds, tying her season high. Jenna Dunbar had her fifth double-double with season highs in points with 22 and in rebounds with 17. Alicia Mehtlan, who made all 12 of her free throws, tallied 18 points. Taylor Graham and Niambi Saint Louis each scored 4 points, Annie Studdert and Vai Thompson 3 each, Sarah Arteseros 2, and Amber Hart 1. Taylor Graham led in assists with 5 and Niambi Saint Louis in steals with 4.