Women's Basketball: Bear Cubs fall against top ranked Delta

Kassi Agapoff passing

SRJC 41, San Joaquin Delta College 78

             For their first home game of 2020, Bear Cubs (6-9, 1-2) hosted the top ranked team in the North, the Mustangs of San Joaquin Delta College (16-1, 4-0). The Bear Cubs played tough team defense for much of the first quarter, but the Mustangs' full court pressure caused the home team to struggle offensively and commit numerous turnovers. By the time the Bear Cubs called their second timeout of the game with 2:54 on the clock, they had turned the ball over 11 times and were in a 0-14 hole. The Mustangs sank a 3-pointer 30 seconds later to get to 17-0. Hanna Morris finally got the Bear Cubs on the scoreboard with a tough shot near the basket at the 2:06 mark. The quarter ended with the Mustangs ahead 17-2.

            The Mustangs scored the first nine points of the second quarter before Lani Lincoln found Trinity Hawkins open near the basket for a 1-footer with 8:14 on the clock. After Lizbeth Zavala banked in a 15-foot runner nearly two minutes later, the Bear Cubs were behind 6-27. The Bear Cubs made three more shots in a row—Lincoln's 3-pointer, Hawkins 1-footer on an inbounds play, and then her back door cut and assist from Lincoln—to get their deficit to 13-35 at the 3:02 mark. Kierra Johnson added a pair of free throws and Lincoln swished a long shot from five feet beyond the arc just before the buzzer to go into halftime behind 18-40.

            Kassi Agapoff put in the first basket of the third quarter when she grabbed a long offensive rebound and quickly put in the shot from the free throw line. The Mustangs completed a 3-point play about a minute later, then Hanna Morris banked in a 1-footer and Kierra Johnson sank two free throws with 7:54 on the clock to make the score 24-43. Kierra Johnson scored a layup near the midpoint of the quarter after breaking the press, and Kassi Agapoff sank a 12-footer with 3:37 left. The next time down, Trinity Hawkins drove in then passed over defenders to Lani Lincoln next to the hoop for the field goal. The Mustangs put in two 3-pointers before Hawkins went to the free throw line and sank both. The Mustangs added one free throw and a field goal with two seconds left to increase their lead to 59-32.

            Kassi Agapoff again scored first to start the fourth quarter when she grabbed an offensive rebound and put in the follow-up shot from about six feet. The Mustangs answered with a field goal, and Lani Lincoln got open inside and banked in the 1-footer with 8:29 on the clock. The Mustangs scored 8 unanswered points before Hanna Morris drew a shooting foul and made both free throws at the 4:07 mark. The Mustangs then went on a 9-0 run. Lani Lincoln drained a deep 3-pointer from above the free throw circle with 43 seconds remaining to complete the scoring in the Bear Cubs' 41-78 loss.

            All 13 of the Mustangs played and 11 of them scored. Their full-court pressure defense caused the Bear Cubs to commit 39 turnovers and only take 45 shots of which they made 15 (33%). The Bear Cubs suited up 8 players and Kierra Johnson had to sit on the bench a significant amount of time due to foul trouble.

            Lani Lincoln led the Bear Cubs in scoring with 13 points. Trinity Hawkins scored 8 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Kierra Johnson, Hanna Morris, and Kassi Agapoff each scored 6 points. Lizbeth Zavala added 2 points. Kierra Johnson pulled down 7 rebounds. Hawkins and Lincoln both passed for 3 assists.