SRJC 48, San Joaquin Delta College 71
For their first Big 8 Conference road game the Bear Cubs (10-4, 2-0) traveled to Stockton to take on the Mustangs (10-4, 0-1) of San Joaquin Delta College. Kathreen Noa took the Mustangs' first shot of the game and sank the field goal. Fifty seconds later Hannah Webb got the Bear Cubs on the scoreboard with a 3-pointer. The next time down Reese Searcy drove in to score. Maya Chelini swished her first 3-pointer at the 7:00 mark. Webb drew a shooting foul and made one free throw for a 6-5 lead. The Mustangs then scored 10 unanswered points, including Chelini's 3-point play and 3-pointer, to jump out in front 15-6 with 2:51 on the clock. The Bear Cubs only added three more points as Reese Searcy, Lindsey Arellano, and Praise Nigimar each made one of two free throws. Jene Wells sank a basket with four seconds left to give the home team a 17-9 lead.
The Mustangs again scored first in the second quarter, this time on a 3-pointer by Serenity Santos. The Bear Cubs put together a 9-0 run—Meredith Gilbertson's 1-footer on a cut and assist from Praise Nigimar, Abby Sanchez's 1-footer off of Hannah Webb's assist, Gilbertson's 3-pointer and her two free throws with 3:55 on the clock—to close the gap to 18-20. After Kathreen Noa's basket, Webb hit an 18-footer, which were the Bear Cubs' final points of the half. The Mustangs scored seven points in the last 2:18, including two free throws and a 3-pointer by Maya Chelini, to take a 29-20 halftime lead.
Meredith Gilbertson scored the first four points of the third quarter on a putback and low post move. During the next five minutes the Mustangs made one field goal and four 3-pointers, while the Bear Cubs only added one point on a Gilbertson free throw. Hannah Webb sank two free throws with 3:20 on the clock, putting their deficit at 27-43. After the Mustangs scored five more points, Gilbertson's 3-point play at the 1:46 mark completed the Bear Cubs' scoring. The Mustangs made two more field goals to widen their lead to 52-30 by the end of the quarter.
Senia Moore drained a 3-pointer 20 seconds into the fourth quarter. The Bear Cubs tallied the next six points on Reese Searcy's two consecutive trips to the free throw line and Maycee Hunter's drive with 7:41 on the clock. About a minute later Maya Chelini swished her fifth 3-pointer. Abby Sanchez scored on a fast break layup off of Reese Searcy's assist, and then JJ Martinez dropped in a corner 3-pointer at the 4:53 mark. After Destiny Nichols' field goal, Meredith Gilbertson drew a shooting foul and made one free throw. Chelini scored five points in a row on her sixth 3-pointer and a layup. JJ Martinez was successful on a drive with 2:05 left. Six seconds later Kiara Manipol completed a 3-point play. Praise Nigimar sank two free throws 15 seconds after that. Moore's 3-pointer with 1:23 remaining got her team to 71 points. Maycee Hunter scored the last two points of the contest on a drive with 40 seconds to go, making the final score 48-71.
The Bear Cubs struggled on offense, as reflected by their making only 14 out of 45 shots (31%), including 3 out of 16 (19%) from beyond the arc, and their 24 turnovers. The hosts were more comfortable shooting on their home court. They made 27 out of 66 shots (41%), including 12 out of 31 (39%) from 3-point land. Maya Chelini, who totaled 23 points, was the only Mustang in double figures.
Meredith Gilbertson was the only Bear Cub in double figures with 16 points. Hannah Webb added 8 points, Reese Searcy 7, JJ Martinez 5, Abby Sanchez and Maycee Hunter 4 each, Praise Nigimar 3, and Lindsey Arellano 1. Meredith Gilbertson grabbed 8 rebounds.