SRJC 48, Diablo Valley College 68
On Coaches vs. Cancer night in Haehl Pavilion the Bear Cubs (15-9, 6-3) hosted the Vikings of Diablo Valley College (17-7, 6-3). Brooke Santander made the Bear Cubs' first shot attempt, a 3-pointer, and Vai Thompson made their second for a 5-0 lead after less than a minute of play. The Vikings got on the scoreboard with a drive at the 7:58 mark. Jenna Dunbar's 3-pointer 25 seconds later and Vai Thompson's basket right after it gave the Bear Cubs a 10-2 lead. The Vikings hit a 3-pointer on their next trip down. When Jenna Dunbar made another 3-pointer with 5:37 on the clock, it put her team in front 13-5. Then the Bear Cubs started missing shots, including four from point blank range, while the Vikings found the right touch as they outscored their hosts 13-2 to take an 18-15 lead at the end of the quarter.
The Vikings scored the first 7 points of the second quarter before Brooke Santander banked in a close shot on an inbounds pass from Kerianne Noonen with 5:12 on the clock. The Vikings' 6'1" post player, Jojuan Carrington, scored on a short hook shot 21 seconds later. Ten seconds after that Jenna Dunbar sank a jumper on an inbounds pass from Noonen. After rebounding the Vikings' next shot attempt, the Bear Cubs passed the ball around and the Vikings knocked the ball out of bounds near the corner. The Bear Cubs again were successful on their inbounds play as Noonen passed to Dunbar for a 3-pointer to cut their deficit to 22-27 with 4:11 remaining in the quarter. The Vikings made their final two points of the quarter with 1:36 left. Dunbar sank the Bear Cubs' last field goal of the half with just under a minute left to make the score 24-30.
Niambi Saint Louis was the first to score in the third quarter after 91 seconds of play. The Vikings answered with a 3-point play by their 6'0" post player, Brandy Williams. Following a Bear Cubs' missed shot, Williams again scored in the paint for a 35-26 lead. Vai Thompson tallied four points in a row on two free throws and a field goal to cut the margin to 30-37 with 6:42 on the clock. During the next three minutes Carrington scored 7 points in a row on a 3-point play and two more short hook shots to stretch the Vikings' lead to 44-34. The Bear Cubs only scored on two free throws by Kerianne Noonen and a 3-pointer by Jenna Dunbar on their final shot of the quarter to fall behind 39-52 as the period came to a close.
Brandy Williams started the scoring in the fourth quarter with another 3-point play for the Vikings. Thirteen seconds later Kerianne Noonen drove along the baseline and dropped in a reverse layup. She was fouled on the play and made the free throw. Noonen scored again on the Bear Cubs' next possession to cut the Vikings' lead to 55-44 with 7:41 remaining. While the Bear Cubs were unable to score, the Vikings added 6 free throws and a field goal. When Noonen's drive got the Bear Cubs to 46 points with 5:03 on the clock, the Vikings' total was 63. The visitors added one more free throw and two field goals for a 68-46 lead with over three minutes to play. Zaina Depina's layup past the taller post defenders with just under three minutes to go accounted for the final points of the game. The Vikings' 68-48 victory marked the first time the Bear Cubs have lost at home this season.
The taller, stronger post players for the Vikings, Carrington and Williams, scored 18 and 17 points, respectively, and grabbed a total of 11 offensive rebounds. By contrast, the four Bear Cubs post players together totaled 10 points and 3 offensive rebounds. The Vikings outrebounded the shorter Bear Cubs 52-32. The Vikings made 18 out of 23 free throws (78%). The Bear Cubs made all of their free throws, but only shot 5 of them. The Vikings made 38% of their shots (23 out of 60), but the Bear Cubs only made 32% of theirs (19 out of 60).
Jenna Dunbar made three 2-pointers and four 3-pointers for 18 points. Kerianne Noonen scored all 9 of her points in the second half. Brooke Santander made 4 out of 7 shots for 9 points. Vai Thompson added 8 points, Niambi Saint Louis 2, and Zaina Depina 2. Thompson, Saint Louis, and Noonen each grabbed 5 rebounds. Noonen passed for 6 assists.
SRJC 77, Modesto Junior College 41
Both teams missed shots to start the second quarter. Brooke Santander posted the first two points of the quarter on two free throws after 98 seconds of play. The Pirates made one free throw 35 seconds later. Kerianne Noonen's 3-pointer at the 7:21 mark was the first basket of the quarter and put the Bear Cubs in front 25-11. Two field goals by Brooke Santander and one by Noonen made the score 31-15 with 3:52 on the clock. A minute later the Pirates sank their first basket of the quarter, a 3-pointer. They scored two more field goals and one free throw in the period. Niambi Saint Louis dropped in a shot, and Noonen sank two free throws after one of the Pirates was assessed a technical foul for pushing Saint Louis in the back after she tied her up. Then Saint Louis converted a 3-point play with 2 seconds left to put the Bear Cubs in front 38-23 going into halftime.
The Bear Cubs started the third quarter by scoring on each of their first 7 opportunities with the ball to explode to a 50-25 lead with 6:26 still left. Ashley Hart and Hayley Louzao each swished a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 56-25 with 4:02 remaining. The Pirates made their only other basket of the quarter, a 3-pointer, with 1:45 left. One free throw by Zaina Depina with 51 seconds on the clock put the Bear Cubs ahead 57-28 by the end of the quarter.
The Bear Cubs recorded the first 9 points of the fourth quarter on two field goals by Brooke Santander and two field goals and one free throw by Niambi Saint Louis. The Pirates scored a field goal with 5:55 on the clock and added two free throws their next possession. Ashley Hart hit two field goals in a row to make the score 70-34 with 4:18 remaining. The Pirates converted a 4-point play when their 3-point shooter, Raquel Garcia, made the deep shot and the free throw after being fouled on the shot. Garcia hit another 3-pointer with 2:15 left to get her team to 41 points. The Bear Cubs added 3 free throws by Zaina Depina, two free throws by Hayley Louzao, and a field goal by Jenna Dunbar with 40 seconds to go, then they held the ball at the end for a 77-41 win.
The Bear Cubs shot well, making 28 out of 57 shots (49%). Their defense forced 28 Pirate turnovers and made it tough on their shooters. The Pirates made just 12 out of 48 shots (25%).
Brooke Santander led the Bear Cubs in scoring with 20 points on 8 out of 14 shots and 4 for 4 from the free throw line. Niambi Saint Louis made 6 out of 9 shots and added 3 free throws for 15 points. Kerianne Noonen was successful on 4 out of 7 shot attempts and 3 out of 4 free throws for 12 points. Vai Thompson was 5 for 6 from the field and 1 for 2 from the free throw line for 11 points. Ashley Hart added 8 points, Hayley Louzao 5, Zaina Depina 4, and Jenna Dunbar 2. Vai Thompson was the top rebounder with 7. Kerianne Noonen led in assists with 8. Nine Bear Cubs made a total of 18 steals. Jenna Dunbar made 3 steals and passed for 4 assists.