Women's Basketball - Bear Cubs open against talented Fresno, fall 73-87

#13 Angel Bernardi dribbling down court

SRJC 73, Fresno 87

 

The Bear Cubs began their 2017-2018 campaign on the road at the Merced College Tournament against the Rams of Fresno City College, the #2 team in the North. The Bear Cubs won the tip-off and 28 seconds later, Destiny Grayer drove across the key and banked in the first two points of the season. Grayer and Jenny Eggers sank back-to-back shots, and then Eggers completed a 3-point play to help the Bear Cubs jump out to a 9-0 lead after less than three minutes of play. The Rams scored on a drive at the 6:48 mark and proceeded to add six more unanswered points to close to 8-9. Angel Bernardi's field goal and Cammie Barsuglia's 3-pointer with 3:59 on the clock gave the Bear Cubs a 14-10 lead. Eggers scored the Bear Cubs' last six points of the quarter, but the Rams edged ahead thanks to two 3-pointers in the final 40 seconds to hold a 21-20 lead at the end of the first period.

The Rams scored the first four points of the second quarter before Destiny Grayer swished a 3-pointer. Mireya Lopez's 2-footer at the 8:02 mark tied the score at 25. But the Bear Cubs missed their next 10 shots, allowing the Rams to take a 50-26 advantage before Jenny Eggers' 3-pointer with 1:42 left. Eggers' basket with 10 seconds remaining made the score 33-53 at the half.

The Rams added two points first in the third quarter on their initial possession. Angel Bernardi sank two free throws, and then Jenny Eggers swished a 3-pointer with 7:50 on the clock to make the score 38-57. Both teams struggled to score during the remainder of the quarter until Britta Irvine hit consecutive baskets in the final 1:03, to make the score 47-69 at the end of the period.

Jenny Eggers scored the first field goal of the fourth quarter on their opening shot. The Rams, too, were successful on their first attempt. Consecutive baskets by Eggers, Bernardi, and Kylie Oden, and two free throws by Destiny Grayer put the score at 57-74 with 7:39 on the clock. Thanks to two Ram 3-pointers, their lead was up to 82-59 with 6:03 remaining. The Bear Cubs kept fighting back and Bernardi put in a field goal and three free throws to return the deficit to 20 at 65-85 with 3:49 on the clock. To finish off the game, Oden dropped in two field goals and Eggers one, while the Rams just added two free throws, to make the final score 73-87.

The Bear Cubs made 41% of their shots (29 out of 70), but they turned the ball over 30 times. They also hurt their efforts by committing 35 fouls to the Rams' 20. The Rams made 26 out of 42 free throws (62%), while the Bear Cubs were just 11 for 19 (58%). Out of the nine Bear Cubs suited up to play, four fouled out and two of the five remaining had four fouls each.

Jenny Eggers scored a career-high 25 points on 11 out of 16 shots, including two 3-pointers, and 1 for 3 from the free throw line. She was one rebound short of a double-double. Angel Bernardi contributed 13 points and 5 rebounds despite picking up her fourth foul midway through the third quarter and not fouling out. Kylie Oden was 0 for 5 in the first half, but made 6 out of 7 field goal attempts in the second half to finish with 12 points. She grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds to record the season's first double-double. Point guard Destiny Grayer also scored in double figures with 11 points. Britta Irvine added 4 points, Mireya Lopez and Cammie Barsuglia 3 each, and Maddie Strom 2. Oden led in steals with 3, and Strom in blocks with 3. Bernardi and Grayer each passed for 3 assists.