SRJC 68, Los Angeles Valley College 57
In the second round of the CCSF Golden Gate Classic the Bear Cubs (7-3) faced the Monarchs (5-6) of Los Angeles Valley College. The Bear Cubs missed their first three shots before Lucca Lowenberg dropped in a 10-footer. Laila Salazar's field goal got the Monarchs on the scoreboard with 7:46 on the clock. Within a matter of seconds, Reese Searcy was successful on a drive. Mary Corbett scored the next four points on one of two free throws and a 3-pointer. Praise Nigimar drew a shooting foul and made just the first free throw. Corbett hit a 16-footer, and then Praise Nigimar went back to the free throw line where she sank both this time, making the Monarchs' lead 8-7 at the 4:18 mark. Giselle Moreno and Corbett each scored a field goal before Praise Nigimar banked in a 2-footer off of Lucca Lowenberg's assist. Salazar's 3-point play with 2:24 left put the Monarchs in front 15-9. Lowenberg dropped in a 3-foot pull-up jumper nearly a minute later. Ashley Jeong swished a 3-pointer 15 seconds after that. On their next possession, Jeong was fouled on a 3-point attempt. She made the first free throw but not the next two. JJ Martinez was fouled om a shot attempt near the basket and made one free throw with 24 seconds remaining. Corbett drained a 3-pointer two seconds before the buzzer to widen the Monarchs' lead to 22-12.
Laila Salazar was fouled eight seconds into the second quarter and made both free throws. Meredith Gilbertson was successful on the Bear Cubs' first shot attempt—a post move layup. A minute later Lucca Lowenberg took the Bear Cubs' second shot and sank the 3-pointer. Eighteen seconds later Mary Corbett scored what turned out to be the Monarchs' only basket of the period, putting them ahead 26-17. The Bear Cubs made some defensive adjustments and scored nine unanswered points on one free throw each by Hannah Webb and Reese Searcy, Gilbertson's putback, Ivy Gonzalez's drive, and Reese Searcy's 3-pointer to tie the score at 26-all. Salazar drew a shooting foul and made both free throws with 2:59 left. The Bear Cubs made their next three shots—Ivy Gonzalez's 8-footer, her 3-pointer, and her 1-footer off of Maya Salas' assist—and two free throws by Lowenberg to take a 35-28 lead by halftime.
Praise Nigimar started the third quarter in place of Meredith Gilbertson, who had three fouls, and drained a 3-pointer on the Bear Cubs' first shot attempt. The Monarchs tallied five points in a row on Sofia Cruz's 3-pointer and Laila Salazar's field goal. During the next four minutes Cruz and Corbett each hit a 3-pointer, while Ivy Gonzalez dropped in a 14-footer, Lucca Lowenberg sank two free throws, Gonzalez scored on a drive, Lowenberg swished a 3-pointer, and Gilbertson completed a 3-point play on a low post move, making the Bear Cubs' advantage 50-39 with 4:33 left. During the remainder of the period the Monarchs outscored the Bear Cubs 6-2, with only Maya Salas making a basket. By the end of the quarter the Bear Cubs were ahead 52-45.
Ivy Gonzalez hit a 14-footer 48 seconds into the fourth period. Giselle Moreno was fouled on a shot attempt and made one free throw. Ivy Gonzalez's 10-footer was followed by Praise Nigimar's fast break layup off of Lucca Lowenberg's assist with 7:00 on the clock. Neither team scored again until Sofi Sargsyan's 3-pointer at the 3:55 mark. Maya Salas drew a shooting foul and made both free throws with 2:28 left. Twelve seconds later Mary Corbett completed a 4-point play after getting fouled on her 3-point basket to get her team to 53-60. After two free throws by Meredith Gilbertson, Samantha Maldonado made her own two. The Monarchs were forced to foul. Three different Bear Cubs went to the line—Maycee Hunter, Gilbertson, and Gonzalez—in the final 1:08 and they sank all six free throws. Giselle Moreno scored the Monarchs' final basket with 37 seconds remaining, resulting in a final score of 68-57.
The Monarchs seemed to score at will in the first quarter, building up a 22-12 lead. But the Bear Cubs reversed circumstances and then some in the second quarter, as they outscored the Monarchs 23-6 by making five out of six 2-point attempts and three out of five 3-point shots (72%) plus four out of six free throws. Mary Corbett led all scorers with 20 points, and Laila Salazar totaled 13 points.
Ivy Gonzalez led the Bear Cubs with her fifth double-double: 19 points and 11 rebounds. Lucca Lowenberg made two 3-pointers and finished with 14 points. Meredith Gilbertson scored 11 points and Praise Nigimar 10. Reese Searcy added 6 points, Maya Salas 4, Maycee Hunter 2, and JJ Martinez and Hannah Webb one each. Praise Nigimar was second in rebounding with 6. Lucca Lowenberg passed for a season-high 5 assists.