#10 Citrus (15-6, 5-0) took control of the WSC-South race with a dramatic 62-60 win over host and defending conference champion #8 College of the Canyons (11-8, 3-1) in Valencia Wednesday night. The Lady Owls overcame a 15-point second-half deficit for the win.
Early on, COC threatened to run away with the game as the Cougars scored 9 points in 42 seconds to take an 11-1 lead. However, in a sign of things to come, Citrus rallied to take a 14-13 lead on a 1-hander by Ctr Kristie Spain about halfway through the first half. Neither team was able to take more than a 2-point lead the rest of the half until Canyons PG Erica Doyle scored on a layup and then passed to SG Alli Weier after a steal late in the half. Weier was fouled, but converted both FTs to allow COC to take a 32-27 halftime lead.
In the second half, COC jumped out to a 50-35 lead after Ctr Jessi Loring made a 3-pointer and Weier made a pair of FTs after a steal.
But then came the big Citrus comeback. The Owls scored 10 quick points, punctuated by a putback basket by Ctr Alexis Pope, to cut the margin to 50-45. Then Citrus tied the game at 55 on a three by PG Semone Funn and another basket by Pope. And a pair of FTs by SF Sandy Asad allowed the Owls to take a lead at 57-55.
Canyons tied the game on a FG+FT 3-point play by Loring with 1:36 left, but that would be COC's last score of the game. And when Pope was fouled after a rebound, she made a free throw with 40 seconds left to put Citrus back ahead, 61-60. After another COC miss, PF Nicole Cunningham got the rebound and was fouled; she also made 1 of 2 FTs to make it 62-60 with 18 seconds left.
COC had two last chances to tie or win the game, but both shots missed. Doyle's 3-point attempt in the final seconds bounced off the rim, but COC's Weier got the rebound. However, her 14-foot jumper just before the horn also missed. Cunningham grabbed the rebound, and Citrus had the win.
Pope led all scorers with 19 pts and also grabbed a team-best 10 rebs plus 3 blocks and 6 steals. SG Darieshia Morris came off the bench to score 10 pts and grab 8 boards. Funn finished with 7 pts, 7 asts and 5 steals.
Loring led Canyons with 18 pts, and she also had 10 rebs, 4 asts and 3 blocks. Weier added 14 pts. Doyle had 12 pts and a game-high 8 asts, but was scoreless on 0/8 shooting in the second half.
==========
box score:
Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 8 pm
at the Cougar Cage, COC, Valencia
Citrus Lady Owls 62:
5-Semone Funn, PG - 3/8 fg, 3 reb, 7 ast, 1 blk, 5 stl, 7 pts
23-Jasmine Redmond, SG - 0/6 fg, 1/2 ft, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 pt
33-Sandy Asad, SF - 2/9 fg, 4/7 ft, 8 reb, 8 pts
22-Nicole Cunningham, PF - 3/6 fg, 2/8 ft, 7 reb, 1 stl, 8 pts
30-Alexis Pope, C - 7/18 fg, 5/6 ft, 10 reb, 3 ast, 3 blk, 6 stl, 19 pts
11-Darieshia Morris, G - 3/7 fg, 3/4 ft, 8 reb, 5 ast, 10 pts
55-Kristie Spain, C - 3/5 fg, 0/2 ft, 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 6 pts
24-Desiree Flores, F - 1/6 fg, 1 reb, 1 ast, 3 pts
4-Lece Hernandez, F - 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 0 pts
team rebounds: 5
Totals: 22/65 fg (.338), 15/29 ft (.517), 48 reb, 19 ast, 5 blk, 14 stl, 62 pts
3-pt fg (3): Funn, Morris, Flores
Tech Foul: Cunningham
Turnovers (20): Funn 5, Redmond 4, Asad 4, Morris 3, Cunningham 2, Flores 2
Canyons Cougars 60:
15-Arpa Gregorian, PF - 1/2 fg, 0/1 ft, 8 reb, 1 blk, 3 stl, 2 pts
12-Janette Galindo, SF - 4/8 fg, 1/3 ft, 9 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 9 pts
43-Jessi Loring, C - 7/12 fg, 3/4 ft, 10 reb, 4 ast, 3 blk, 1 stl, 18 pts
24-Alli Weier, SG - 4/13 fg, 5/5 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 14 pts
4-Erica Doyle, PG - 4/17 fg, 4/5 ft, 1 reb, 8 ast, 1 blk, 3 stl, 12 pts
45-Aleece Bruckner, C - 0/2 fg, 2 reb, 0 pts
32-Christine Raphaelian, F - 1/4 fg, 6 reb, 1 ast, 2 pts
22-Kristen Welch, G - 1/3 fg, 3 pts
25-Melissa Gillard, F - 0/1 fg, 3 stl, 0 pts
team rebounds: 6
Totals: 22/62 fg (.355), 13/18 ft (.722), 44 reb, 17 ast, 5 blk, 12 stl, 60 pts
3-pt fg (3): Loring, Weier, Welch
Fouled Out: Gregorian 12:31 left, Galindo 4:41 left
Turnovers (26): Loring 5, Doyle 5, Weier 4, Galindo 3, Welch 3, Gillard 3, Raphaelian 2, Gregorian
Halftime Score: Canyons 32, Citrus 27
Updated Records: Citrus 15-6, 5-0 in WSC-S; Canyons 11-8, 3-1
