SRJC 66, College of the Sequoias 60
After winning their last five games in a row by comfortable margins, the Bear Cubs (6-3) were expecting a different scenario against the Giants (8-3) of the College of the Sequoias in the first round of the City College of San Francisco Golden Gate Classic. Ashleigh Barr scored the first two points of the contest when she put back her own miss. The Giants quickly tied the score. Fifty seconds later Trinity Hawkins caught the assist pass near the basket from Lizeth Zavala. Then the Giants sank two free throws to tie. The Bear Cubs went on a 9-0 run—Hawkins' 3-pointer and her field goal over two minutes after that, Kierra Johnson's 2-footer, and Hanna Morris' 1-footer on a pass from Lizbeth Zavala—for a 13-4 lead with 1:46 on the clock. The Giants put in a field goal and one free throw to end the quarter behind 7-13.
Celeste Lewis scored four baskets in a row, three of them from beyond the arc to vault the Giants into the lead 18-17 in a little over two minutes of second quarter play. After two Giants' free throws, Lizeth Zavala swished a 3-pointer. The Giants sank a 3-pointer and a field goal to widen their lead to 25-20 at the 6:06 mark. The Bear Cubs tied the score on two free throws by Ashleigh Barr and Ciarah Michalik's 3-pointer. During the next 2:16, the Giants made two 3-pointers and a field goal, while Kierra Johnson hit a 14-footer and two close shots, and Trinity Hawkins scored on a drive to tie the score at 33. With 37 seconds left, Lizbeth Zavala made both of her free throws, and Hawkins converted a 3-point play with 9 seconds remaining to put the Bear Cubs ahead 38-33 by halftime.
The Bear Cubs made their first four shots of the third quarter—Trinity Hawkins' floater, Ashleigh Barr's 3-pointer and fast break layup, and Hawkins' 3-point play—to stretch their advantage to 48-35 with 7:41 on the clock. Celeste Lewis scored three points on a field goal and one of two free throws, and then Kierra Johnson caught Tal Webb's assist pass near the hoop. Tal Webb's 3-pointer with 4:29 left accounted for the Bear Cubs' last points of the quarter. The Giants continued to score field goals, as they got back within five points by the end of the period, 48-53.
Lizbeth Zavala took the Bear Cubs' first shot of the fourth quarter, and it was good from 3-point land. A minute later, the Giants hit a 3-pointer. Kierra Johnson tallied the next three points for the Bear Cubs on a 1-footer set up by Ciarah Michalik's assist pass, and one of two free throws almost four minutes later. Meanwhile the Giants sank another 3-pointer. Johnson's roll to the hoop and assist from Lizbeth Zavala with 5:48 on the clock put the Bear Cubs in front 61-54. As the Giants applied full-court pressure, the Bear Cubs turned the ball over multiple times. The Giants added four unanswered points on free throws to close to 58-61 with 3:49 left. Sixty-seven seconds later, Lizeth Zavala swished a long 3-pointer from the right corner. With 1:46 remaining the Giants put in their final field goal. Trinity Hawkins capped the scoring when she pulled down a defensive rebound and dribbled the length of the court to bank in the layup. The 66-60 win advances the Bear Cubs into the winner's bracket of the three-day tournament.
The 6-point margin of victory matches the point differential at the end of the first quarter. Both teams played tough defense, making it difficult for opposing offenses to score. Only Celeste Lewis, who finished with 18 points, scored in double figures for the Giants.
Three Bear Cubs, led by Trinity Hawkins' with 21, scored in double figures. Kierra Johnson totaled 15 points, and Ashleigh Barr recorded her second double-double with 11 points and a season-high 14 rebounds. Lizeth Zavala added 6 points. Lizbeth Zavala 5, Ciarah Michalik and Tal Webb 3 each, and Hanna Morris 2. Kierra Johnson nearly had a double-double with 9 rebounds. Michalik passed for 6 assists and Tal Webb for 5.