SRJC 70, Modesto Junior College 61
Friday the Bear Cubs (11-7, 3-3) traveled to Modesto to face the Pirates (9-9, 2-4) of Modesto Junior College. Two minutes into the contest Ivy Gonzalez intercepted a pass near the Pirates' free throw line and drove the ball all the way down to lay in the first basket. Eighteen seconds later Krista Andersen tied the score. Meredith Gilbertson's one free throw put the Bear Cubs ahead until Alicia Rose Platt's field goal. Gonzalez dropped in a 4-footer, and then Andersen sank another field goal. The Bear Cubs scored six unanswered points on Gilbertson's drive, Lucca Lowenberg's pull-up 5-footer, and Reese Searcy's two free throws with 3:34 on the clock for an 11-6 lead. Grace Langenfeld made a basket 30 seconds after that. With 1:07 left Praise Nigimar went to the free throw line and made one, and 14 seconds later so did Mary Cotton. Lindsey Arellano hit a high-arching 18-footer with 29 seconds to go. Platt scored the last four points of the quarter when she sank a 3-pointer, was fouled on the shot, and made the and-one free throw to pull the Pirates within a point at 13-14.
The Pirates began the second quarter with a 7-0 run on two baskets by Sara Davis and Alicia Rose Platt's 3-pointer. The Bear Cubs responded with their own 9-0 run on Meredith Gilbertson's 3-pointer, Lucca Lowenberg's 3-pointer, and JJ Martinez's 3-point play on a fast break layup for a 23-20 lead at the 4:50 mark. Mikaylah Vaught drained a 3-pointer, and then Lowenberg did the same. Davis made her third field goal of the quarter, and eight seconds later Reese Searcy sank two free throws with 2:52 left. Ivy Gonzalez scored eight points in a row on two 3-pointers and a 2-footer off of Lowenberg's assist. Maliyah Hutchinson's basket at the buzzer made the Pirates' halftime deficit 27-36.
Mary Cotton hit two field goals in a row to start the scoring in the third quarter. Lucca Lowenberg converted a 3-point play on a baseline inbounds pass from Reese Searcy with 7:26 on the clock. Alicia Rose Platt drew a shooting foul 32 seconds later and made one free throw. After Searcy scored on a drive, she intercepted the Pirates' inbounds pass, then was fouled trying to make the shot. She celebrated too exuberantly and was assessed with a technical foul. She made her two free throws, and then Cotton sank the two technical foul free throws. Cotton then drained a 3-pointer. Emilie Snyder was fouled on a shot attempt and was successful on both free throws with 4:58 on the clock. Nearly a minute later, Ivy Gonzalez made one free throw to put their lead at 44-39. Cotton hit a field goal with 3:37 left and one of two free throws on their next possession to close to 42-44. With 52 seconds remaining, Gonzalez drew a shooting foul and made both free throws. Thirty seconds later Grace Lagenfeld sank two free throws to get the Pirates back within two, 44-46, at the end of the quarter.
Abigail DiGrazia sank the Pirates' first shot of the fourth quarter, tying the score. The Bear Cubs missed their first three shots before Meredith Gilbertson drained a 3-pointer off of Lucca Lowenberg's assist. Mary Cotton sank a field goal just 17 seconds later, making their deficit 48-49. The Bear Cubs added the next five points on Lucca Lowenberg's 3-pointer and Ivy Gonzalez's drive. During the next three minutes Meredith Gilbertson scored on a drive, Reese Searcy hit an 18-footer and then a 3-pointer, meanwhile the Pirates added eight points, resulting in a 61-56 Bear Cub lead. Krista Andersen sank the Pirates' last field goal with 2:56 on the clock to close to 58-61. The Bear Cubs subsequently put the game away with nine unanswered points comprised of Abby Sanchez's drive, Ivy Gonzalez's 3-pointer, Lowenberg's back cut and assist pass from Gilbertson at the high post, and Gilbertson's two free throws with 20 seconds left. Cotton tallied the final three points of the contest when she was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 16 seconds to go, and made all three free throws. The Bear Cubs dribbled out the clock on their hard-fought 70-61 victory.
This was a close battle throughout. It took a 9-0 run by the Bear Cubs in the final three minutes of the game to determine the outcome. The Bear Cubs held the Pirates' leading scorer, 6'1" guard Mary Cotton, to one point in the first half. Then she exploded for 21 points in the second half. Although the Bear Cubs had a height disadvantage, they blocked out and hustled after defensive rebounds, allowing only one Pirate putback. Besides Cotton, only Alicia Rose Platt reached double figures with 10 points.
Ivy Gonzalez and Lucca Lowenberg each made three 3-pointers and totaled 20 and 16 points, respectively. Meredith Gilbertson registered her fourth double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Reese Searcy made all six of her free throws and finished with 13 points. JJ Martinez added 3 points, Lindsey Arellano and Abby Sanchez 2 each, and Praise Nigimar 1. Reese Searcy made 6 steals. Meredith Gilbertson passed for 4 assists.