Women's Basketball: Balanced Scoring gives Bear Cubs 1st Big 8 Win

Women's Basketball: Balanced Scoring gives Bear Cubs 1st Big 8 Win

SRJC 57, Cosumnes River College 49

             The Bear Cubs (5-10, 0-1) traveled to Elk Grove for their first Big 8 road game to face the Hawks (5-9, 1-0) of Cosumnes River College. The Bear Cubs scored the first three points of the contest in 38 seconds on a free throw by Tiffany Salinas and a putback by Ashley Hart. The Hawks recorded a field goal at the 8:30 mark to get on the scoreboard. A field goal each by Hayley Louzao and Tiffany Salinas and two free throws by Sadie Irvine put the Bear Cubs ahead 9-4 with 6:51 on the clock. Following consecutive field goals by the Hawks, La Donna Saint Louis made one and Irvine two more free throws for a 13-9 margin with 2:25 left. The Hawks sank two more field goals in the quarter and Saint Louis one and Zaina Depina one free throw to end the period with a 16-13 lead.

            Both teams had trouble scoring to start the second quarter. The Hawks put in the first field goal of the period at the 7:42 mark. Angel Bernardi registered the Bear Cubs' first point on one of two free throws 37 seconds later. Then Bernardi scored her first field goal with 6:19 on the clock to put the score at 19-15. Two field goals and one free throw by Tiffany Salinas, one field goal by La Donna Saint Louis, and three more points by Bernardi stretched the lead to 29-19 with 58 seconds left. The Hawks swished a 3-pointer and scored a layup on an inbounds play at the buzzer to cut the Bear Cubs' lead to 29-24 by halftime.

            Tiffany Salinas scored two field goals from inside the paint to start the third quarter, then the Hawks put in a 3-pointer. The Bear Cubs went on an 8-0 run, which included two free throws and a field goal by Ashley Hart, for a 41-27 advantage with 6:22 on the clock. The Bear Cubs outscored the Hawks 8-6 during the remainder of the quarter to hold a 49-33 lead.

            The Hawks scored the first three field goals of the fourth quarter before Sadie Irvine hit her first 3-pointer with 7:00 left. La Donna Saint Louis sank two free throws, then Irvine dropped in a 10-footer and a second 3-pointer for a 59-42 lead with 5:14 remaining. A 3-point play by Gina Ingravallo at the 4:30 mark cut their deficit to 48-59. The Bear Cubs' defense stopped the Hawks, only giving up one free throw, while offensively Ashley Hart banked in two close shots and Angel Bernardi connected on two free throws and a field goal to make the final score 67-49.

            Five Bear Cubs scored in double figures. Tiffany Salinas recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Sadie Irvine also scored 16 points and grabbed 7 missed shots. Angel Bernardi played her best game of the season and finished with 12 points and 4 rebounds. Ashley Hart and La Donna Saint Louis each totaled 10 points. Hayley Louzao added 2 points and Zaina Depina 1. Louzao led in assists with 5 and Irvine in steals with 5 and she passed for 4 assists.

Up next - Diablo Valley comes to Haehl Pavilion Tuesday January 10th - Women at 7:30pm, Men at 5:30pm