SRJC 71, Sierra College 80
The Bear Cubs (11-6, 3-2) hosted the Wolverines (9-8, 3-2) of Sierra College Tuesday evening. Ivy Gonzalez scored the first three points of the game on a 3-point play after catching Reese Searcy's assist pass next to the basket. 6'2" post player Katie Leeth banked in a 4-footer 24 seconds later. The Bear Cubs added the next three points on one free throw by Reese Searcy and Gonzalez's 5-foot fade away shot. After Alyssa Premo's basket, Meredith Gilbertson swished a 3-pointer for a 9-4 lead at the 8:07 mark. Leeth tallied the next three points on one of two free throws and a field goal with 6:59 on the clock. Nearly two minutes later Praise Nigimar banked in a putback for an 11-7 margin. Premo drew a shooting foul and made both free throws. The official called a foul on a Bear Cub trying to block out along the free throw lane. With the Bear Cubs over the foul limit, Julianne Cotterill went to the free throw line and made both charity shots to tie the score at 11-11 with 4:54 left. About a minute later Gilbertson was fouled on a shot attempt and made one free throw. Leeth banked in the Wolverines' final two points with 3:48 remaining. The Bear Cubs finished the quarter with an 8-0 run comprised of Gonzalez's 20-footer, Lucca Lowenberg's back door cut and layup off of Gilbertson's pass from the high post, Maycee Hunter's fast break layup off of Lindsey Arellano's assist, and Hunter's putback with 1:03 to go to take a 20-13 lead by the end of the period.
The Wolverines scored the first four points of the second quarter on two consecutive trips to the free throw line during the opening minute. Reese Searcy put in the next five points on a 24-foot 3-pointer that banked in just before the shot clock expired and a 4-footer with 7:00 on the clock. The Wolverines answered with Katie Leeth's low post basket, Alyssa Premo's field goal and subsequent 3-point play at the 5:30 mark closed the gap to 24-25. After Ivy Gonzalez's 1-footer off of Reese Searcy's assist, Beau Von Seipler drained two 3-pointers in a row to slide in front 30-27 with 4:26 left. Hannah Webb's 3-pointer and Meredith Gilbertson's two free throws gave the Bear Cubs a 32-30 lead. Premo's field goal tied the score. Twenty-two seconds later Gilbertson completed a 3-point play on a putback. Mikayla Bumgarner made one free throw about a minute later. Lucca Lowenberg's 3-pointer with 1:15 remaining stretched the Bear Cubs' lead to 38-33. The Wolverines scored five unanswered points on a 3-pointer and a field goal to send the teams into the locker rooms with the scored tied at 38 apiece.
Maycee Hunter broke the tie with a fast break layup after Ivy Gonzalez pulled down a defensive rebound, dribbled out near half court, and passed ahead to her. Lucca Lowenberg's 3-pointer their next time down gave the Bear Cubs a 5-point lead. Alyssa Premo made a basket, and then Katie Leeth made one of two free throws. Ivy Gonzalez's 4-footer was followed by Klera Catubig-Hess's 3-pointer. Abby Sanchez hit a long 3-pointer from straight away at the 7:09 mark, making the score 48-44. After a basket each by Premo and Julianne Cotterill, Lucca Lowenberg sank two free throws, and then Christelle Williams sank a field goal. Cece Solano cut down the key, caught Lowenberg's assist, and banked in the layup with 5:10 on the clock. Cotterill made one free throw, and then so did Lowenberg. Premo put in two field goals in a row before Reese Searcy's scoring drive with 3:23 left tied the score at 55. The Wolverines finished the period with an 8-0 run to surge out to a 63-55 advantage.
Beau Von Seipler took the Wolverines' first shot of the fourth quarter and sank the 3-pointer. Ivy Gonzalez did the same for the Bear Cubs. Alyssa Premo scored on a drive 14 seconds later. Maycee Hunter drew a shooting foul and dropped in both free throws. Julianne Cotterill put in a shot near the hoop over a shorter defender with 7:35 on the clock, making the Wolverines' lead 70-60. The Bear Cubs scored the next seven points on Maya Salas' 3-pointer, Reese Searcy's two free throws, and Maycee Hunter's layup on a cut and assist from Salas. Von Seipler's field goal near the midpoint of the period was followed by Meredith Gilbertson's low post move, putting the Wolverines' lead at 72-69. During the next three minutes and ten seconds the Bear Cubs were held scoreless while Von Seipler sank her fifth 3-pointer, Julianne Cotterill and Katie Leeth each dropped in a low post basket, and Premo made one free throw to put the game out of reach at 80-69 with 1:32 remaining. Reese Searcy made the Bear Cubs' final two points on free throws with 46 seconds to go, as the Bear Cubs were beaten by a score of 71-80.
The Wolverines' post players Katie Leeth (6'2") and Julianne Cotterill (6'0") were able to shoot over shorter Bear Cub defenders, especially with Meredith Gilbertson and Praise Nigimar on the bench in foul trouble. The Bear Cub guards were too often a step late getting out to deter 3-point shooters. Four Wolverines scored in double figures: Alysso Premo with 22 points, Beau Von Seipler 17, Katie Leeth 16, and Julianne Cotterill 12.
Ivy Gonzalez registered her sixth double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Reese Searcy made 5 out of 6 free throws and totaled 12 points. Lucca Lowenberg and Meredith Gilbertson each tallied 11 points. Maycee Hunter joined the starting five and contributed a season-high of 10 points and 7 rebounds. Abby Sanchez, Maya Salas, and Hannah Webb each sank one 3-pointer. Praise Nigimar and Cece Solano each made one field goal. Reese Searcy passed for a season-high 6 assists. Maycee Hunter made 4 steals.