SRJC 60, Hartnell College 49
It's CCCAA Playoff time! The top 24 teams from the North were ranked, with #1-8 receiving first round byes. #9-24 played in Round 1 on Wednesday. The Bear Cubs (23-5, 13-3), seeded #5, earned a Round 2 home game to host the #21 Panthers (18-10, 7-1) of Hartnell College, who defeated #12 College of the Redwoods 67-51 on Wednesday.
Jordan Washington tipped the opening jump ball to Elle Picard, who took a few dribbles and passed ahead to a cutting Kaia Eubanks for a layup. Alana Hernandez sank a 16-footer to tie the score. The Bear Cubs scored the next four points on Washington's putback of her own miss and her two free throws 50 seconds after that. Mia Henson made a field goal, and then Washington banked in another putback. Bleona Augushi was successful on a drive through the Bear Cubs' defense. With 6:31 on the clock Eubanks passed to Abby Tacla cutting to the hoop for a layup. Nearly three minutes later, Agushi drained a 3-pointer to close their gap to 9-10. The Bear Cubs outscored the Panthers 7-2 during the remainder of the period on Sydney Martin's 3-footer and Washington's 1-footer both off of Madyson Carson's assists, Washington's putback after a 1-dribble move, and her one out of two free throws to end the quarter ahead 17-11.
The Panthers scored the first three points of the second quarter on one free throw by Ana Maurer and Bleona Agushi's successful drive at the 6:45 mark. After the Bear Cubs missed their opening four shots, Elle Picard swished a 3-pointer. Mia Henson answered with her own 3-pointer to get to 17-20. During the next 73 seconds Jordan Washington dropped in a putback and made three out of four free throws while Areli Macial Caldera made a field goal. In the final four minutes Washington banked in a 4-footer and Madyson Carson made one out of two free throws, meanwhile Sherrice Rogers sank two free throws. By halftime the Bear Cubs were in front 28-21.
The Panthers opened the third quarter with a basket by Ana Maurer and two free throws by Bleona Agushi in the first minute. Jordan Washington made two baskets in a row—a putback and a 15-footer—and Maurer also made two about a minute apart. Kaia Eubanks' 1-footer off of Caitlin Baldwin's assist was followed by one out of two free throws by Washington. Norma Tulua made a basket, and then Eubanks banked in a 1-footer off of Elle Picard's assist at the 7:02 mark. Maurer sank a 4-footer and then completed a 3-point play to get within a point, 36-37 with 5:52 on the clock. Washington's 3-point play 18 seconds later was followed by Agushi's scoring drive. With 2:59 left, Shasta Vlasak drew a shooting foul and made one free throw. Alana Hernandez's 3-pointer 12 seconds later tied the score at 41-41. Washington was fouled on a putback attempt with 1:20 remaining and made just the first free throw. Eubanks' putback with 18 seconds to go put the Bear Cubs' margin at 44-41. The Panthers pushed the ball up court and Tulua was fouled near the basket. She made both free throws to end the quarter with her team behind by a single point at 43-44.
Jordan Washington scored the first four points of the fourth quarter on a pair of free throws and a full court layup after pulling down a defensive rebound. The Panthers got their first point of the period when Bleona Agushi made one free throw at the 5:55 mark. Nineteen seconds later Sydney Martin drew a shooting foul and made just the first free throw. With 3:58 on the clock Abby Tacla was fouled on a shot attempt near the basket and made both of her free throws to stretch the Bear Cubs' lead to 51-44. About a minute after that Alana Hernandez went to the free throw line and made one free throw. With the Panthers over the foul limit, Washington was fouled with 1:37 left and made both free throws. After a Panther miss, Elle Picard was fouled intentionally. She made one free throw with 1:06 remaining. Six seconds later Bleona Agushi scored on a drive. She was fouled on the play but missed the and-one free throw. The Bear Cubs inbounded to Picard, who was fouled. She went to the free throw line and again made just one free throw. Yulissa Alvarez got open near the basket with 45 seconds to go to make the Panthers' final two points. During the remainder of the quarter, the Panthers missed their shots or turned the ball over forcing them to foul. Picard made one free throw and Washington made all four of hers, resulting in a 60-49 victory by the host Bear Cubs.
The Bear Cubs' poor shooting, both from the field and the free throw line, kept the score close until the final minutes of the contest. They made only 29% (17 out of 58) of their field goal attempts. Both teams made 17 baskets, but the Panthers made three 3-pointers while the Bear Cubs made just one. The difference in scoring came at the free throw line. The Panthers made 67% of their free throws (12 out of 18). The Bear Cubs shot a season-high 45 free throws, but only made 25 of them (56%). Two Panthers finished in double figures in scoring: Bleona Agushi with 14 and Ana Maurer with 12, 11 of them coming in the third quarter.
Jordan Washington, who was selected Northern California Player of the Year, registered her 16th double-double with career-highs of 37 points and 22 rebounds. Like the rest of the Bear Cubs, she struggled at the free throw line, making just 17 out of 27 (63%). Prior to tonight, she led the team in free throw percentage with 77% (127 out of 166). Kaia Eubanks added 8 points, Elle Picard 6, Abby Tacla 4, Sydney Martin 3, and Shasta Vlasak and Hattie Piper 1 each. Jordan Washington pulled down 12 offensive rebounds, putting back five of them, and getting fouled on five putback attempts. Kaia Eubanks was second in rebounding with 7. Elle Picard led in assists with 3. Elle Picard and Jordan Washington each made 3 steals.
Tonight's win advances the Bear Cubs into the NorCal Playoffs Final Round for which they have to travel to Fresno City College to battle the #4 seeded Rams (22-7, 11-1), who defeated #20 Taft College in the second round by a score of 86-55.