No. 1 SRJC 60 vs. No. 16 San Jose City 45

Conference Record: 12-2

Overall Record: 25-6

ROUND II NORCAL PLAYOFFS

            The Bear Cubs (24-6) earned the #1 seed in the NorCal play-offs and hosted the #16 seeded Jaguars (12-16) of San Jose City College Saturday evening in the second round contest. The Bear Cubs scored first on a short jump shot by Whitney Edens after nearly a minute of play. The Jaguars scored on their next possession to tie the score, but didn't score again for over two minutes. Meanwhile the Bear Cubs, following one missed shot, sank four field goals in a row to jump out to an 8-2 lead. Stephanie Sack's 3-pointer at the 10:20 mark increased the Bear Cubs' advantage to 20-12. But the Jaguars came back to outscore the hosts 8-2 during the next five minutes. The Bear Cubs called a timeout with 5:14 on the clock and the score 24-20.  Seventy seconds later Anandi Jimenez converted a 3-point play and followed that up with a steal and a coast-to-coast lay-up. Madison Sowards sank her second 3-pointer at the 2:09 mark and Taylor Graham banked in a fast break layup off an assist from Skyler Olsen with 58 seconds left. The Jaguars scored the final field goal of the half with 24 seconds remaining, after going scoreless for almost five minutes. The Bear Cubs held a 34-22 lead at the half.
            Stephanie Sack's second 3-pointer of the game came at the 18:12 mark and was the first basket of the second half. Arianna Hanson added a free throw 33 seconds later. The Jaguars scored their first points of the half on a field goal at the 16:05 mark. Both teams had trouble scoring from the field and by the midway point of the half the Bear Cubs' lead was 47-33. Then during the next three and a half minutes Holly Cramer swished two 3-pointers, Whitney Edens sank a jump shot, and Anandi Jimenez hit a 3-pointer to give their team its largest lead at 58-35. The Bear Cubs then missed their next 10 shots in a row, allowing their opponents to close the gap. Anandi Jimenez scored the Bear Cubs' final points on a field goal with 24 seconds remaining. The Jaguars' center sank a 3-pointer with 3 seconds left to make the final score 60-45.
            Anandi Jimenez led the Bear Cubs in scoring with 16 points, making 6 out of 9 shots. Whitney Edens added 10 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Arianna Hanson contributed 8 points and 3 assists. Three players each sank two 3-pointers for 6 points apiece: Stephanie Sack, Madison Sowards, and Holly Cramer. McKenzie Mangino scored 4 points and led in rebounding with 6. Taylor Graham and Skyler Olsen both sank a single field goal.
            With the win the Bear Cubs advance to the third round where they play host to City College of San Francisco on Wednesday night. The Bear Cubs defeated the Rams in December in the championship game of their own Caren Franci Tournament. The Rams returned the favor the following week by beating the Bear Cubs during the second round of their Golden Gate Classic.

SRJC 60 vs. Cosumnesr River 42

Conference Record: 12-2

Overall Record: 24-6

BIG 8 CONFERENCE CO-CHAMPIONS

            Friday the Bear Cubs (23-6, 11-2) played their final Big 8 contest of the season on the road against the Cosumnes River College Hawks (14-12, 4-9). The Bear Cubs missed their first three shots before McKenzie Mangino scored the first points of the game on a field goal with 18:28 on the clock. The Hawks tied the score a minute later. With 5 minutes gone in the game the score was tied at 6. The Bear Cubs then went on a 14-2 run to vault ahead 20-8 at the 7:58 mark. The Hawks hit a 3-pointer and converted a 3-point play during the next four and a half minutes, but the Bear Cubs added three field goals and a 3-point play by Emma Vierra for a 29-14 lead. The Hawks only scored a free throw and a 3-point play during the remainder of the half, while the Bear Cubs scored three more field goals and two free throws, to go into halftime with a 35-18 lead.
            The Hawks started the second half with a 3-pointer just before the shot clock expired. Arianna Hanson scored on the Bear Cubs' second possession and Whitney Edens hit a 3-pointer their next time down. Stephanie Sack's field goal at the 16:20 mark put the Bear Cubs on top 42-21. The Bear Cubs missed their next 9 shots before Skyler Olsen finally hit one with 11:40 on the clock to make the score 44-26. The Bear Cubs got their lead up to 50-30 following a steal by Anandi Jimenez and her coast-to-coast drive for a contested layup with 7:13 remaining. The Bear Cub defense lost focus and allowed the Hawks to score 12 points during a 4-minute span from 5:10 to 1:10, to close the gap to 42-55. Anandi Jimenez converted a 3-point play with 57 seconds left and sank a field goal 40 seconds later to complete the scoring. The Bear Cubs' 60-42 win means they are Big 8 Co-Champions along with Sierra College—a team the Bear Cubs defeated twice.
            Anandi Jimenez had her best game of the season, scoring 20 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. Arianna Hanson was second with 12 points and 7 rebounds. McKenzie Mangino contributed 8 points, Whitney Edens 5, Stephanie Sack and Erin Skinner 4 each, Emma Vierra 3, Holly Cramer and Skyler Olsen 2 each. Stephanie Sack and Taylor Graham each passed for 4 assists. McKenzie Mangino blocked 5 shots and Arianna Hanson 4. The Bear Cubs outrebounded the shorter Hawks 59-22.

SRJC 49 vs. Delta 62

Conference Record: 11-2

Overall Record: 23-6

Prior to Tuesday night's game against the San Joaquin Delta College Mustangs (17-8, 9-3), the Bear Cubs honored their seven sophomores. Three of them scored on the Bear Cubs' first three shots of the game to counter the Mustangs' two 3-pointers for a 7-6 lead at the 17:29 mark. The Mustangs added two more 3-pointers to take the lead until Arianna Hanson's two free throws tied the score at 16 with 10:21 on the clock. The Bear Cubs missed 15 shots in a row allowing the Mustangs to jump out to a 31-17 lead before Anandi Jimenez finally made two in a row beginning at the 2:04 mark. Madison Sowards stole the ball with 5 seconds in the half and Whitney Edens passed to Taylor Graham for a basket at the buzzer to cut the Bear Cubs' deficit to 23-31 at the end of the half.
The Mustangs started the second half by sinking their sixth 3-pointer of the game. Four points by Arianna Hanson and a 3-pointer by Whitney Edens got the Bear Cubs to 30-34 after two minutes. The Mustangs hit another 3-pointer a minute later. Four free throws by Whitney Edens made the score 34-37 with 16:08 on the clock. The Bear Cubs missed their next 13 shots enabling the Mustangs to score 12 unanswered points before Jade Hudson hit an outside shot at the 10:07 mark. The Bear Cubs turned the tables and went on an 8-0 run to make the score 44-49 at the 4:11 mark. The Mustangs hit a field goal at the 3:45 mark and Stephanie Sack sank a 3-pointer with 2:15 left. The Mustangs' starting center then swished her fourth 3-pointer of the game with 1:45 on the clock, giving them a 54-47 lead. The Bear Cubs were unable to score and were forced to foul. The Mustangs made 8 out of 8 free throws during the final 61 seconds, while the Bear Cubs just added one field goal by Anandi Jimenez. The 49-62 loss was the first for the Bear Cubs at home this season. The Mustangs made 10 3-pointers and 10 out of 11 free throws (91%). They shot well, making 45% of their attempts. The Bear Cubs were good at the free throw line, making 13 out of 14 (93%). But for the second game in a row, they had difficulty sinking shots. They only made 4 out of 16 3-pointers (25%) and overall made only 16 out of 58 shots (28%). Whitney Edens and Arianna Hanson led the Bear Cubs in scoring with 15 points each. Anandi Jimenez added 8 points and 6 rebounds, while Stephanie Sack contributed 3 points and 3 steals. Four players each added a single field goal—Taylor Graham, Jade Hudson, Skyler Olsen, and McKenzie Mangino. Arianna Hanson led in rebounds with 8 and assists with 3.

SRJC 58 vs. Modesto 56

Conference Record: 11-1

Overall Record: 23-5

Thursday the Bear Cubs (22-5, 10-1) started their 5-day Presidents' Days Holidays by traveling to Modesto to play the Modesto Junior College Pirates (17-8, 6-5). The Pirates' 6'2" center, Jamie Beck, won the jump ball, but her team missed their first scoring attempt. Whitney Edens quickly scored on her team's first shot attempt. Arianna Hanson scored the Bear Cubs' second field goal, which was followed 8 seconds later by the Pirates' first basket. Another field goal and two free throws by Whitney Edens gave the Bear Cubs an 8-3 lead after 3 minutes of play. The Pirates cut this gap with a 3-pointer. The Bear Cubs then went on an 8-1 run to expand their lead to 16-7 at the 14:17 mark. When Taylor Graham scored with 10:10 on the clock, it gave the Bear Cubs a 20-14 lead. The Bear Cubs missed their next 10 shots before Arianna Hanson hit a field goal at the 4:32 mark to make the score 22-18. The Bear Cubs were able to increase their lead to 28-23 heading into halftime.
            The Bear Cubs missed their first 4 shots of the second half and finally scored at the 17:49 mark on McKenzie Mangino's second field goal of the game. The Pirates scored 19 seconds later and slowly began chipping away at the Bear Cubs' lead. A Pirate 3-pointer at the 10:40 mark tied the score at 36. Back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers by Whitney Edens, McKenzie Mangino, and Stephanie Sack put the Bear Cubs ahead 52-43 with 5:35 on the clock. Then the Pirates responded with 7 unanswered points to pull within 2 points with just 4 minutes to play. McKenzie Mangino broke the scoreless streak with a field goal at the 5:36 mark. The Pirates came back to tie the game at 54 on 2 free throws at the 1:42 mark. Then post player McKenzie Mangino hit her second 3-pointer of the game to give the Bear Cubs a 57-54 advantage. With 18 seconds on the clock and the Pirates with the ball, Taylor Graham noticed the player she was guarding was dribbling carelessly. Taylor dove at the ball and tied it up. The possession arrow favored the Bear Cubs, who called a timeout. They couldn't inbound the ball, so they had to burn their last timeout. When play resumed Coach Campbell sent the guards to stand in the front court and had the post players cut to receive the pass in the back court. Arianna Hanson caught the inbounds pass and dribbled around for 5 seconds before being fouled. Arianna, who had earlier made 4 out of 4 free throws, missed the front end of the 1+1. The Pirates rebounded and pushed the ball, getting it to Beck right near the basket, who scored with 3 seconds left. They immediately called a timeout. Following the timeout, Stephanie Sack caught the inbounds pass and was fouled with 1.5 seconds. Since it was the Pirates' tenth team foul, Stephanie went to the free throw line to shoot 2 shots. She missed the first and the Pirates' coach called their last timeout to set up their subsequent play. When play resumed, Sack sank the free throw, making the score 58-56. The Pirates quickly threw a 60-foot inbounds pass to Beck, who caught it above her head and passed to their best 3-point shooter. The 30-foot shot looked like it might go it, but it bounced off the rim, giving the Bear Cubs their eleventh Big 8 win. Whitney Edens was the leading scorer in the game with 17 points. McKenzie Mangino, who made 2 out of 3 3-point shots, totaled 14 points. Arianna Hanson had her fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Madison Sowards added 7 points, Stephanie Sack 4, Taylor Graham and Anandi Jimenez 2 each. Anandi Jimenez was second in rebounding with 8. Stephanie Sack led with 7 assists.

SRJC 64 vs. American River 35

Conference Record: 10-1

Overall Record: 22-5

            Tuesday night the Bear Cubs (21-5, 9-1) hosted the American River College Beavers (7-16, 1-9) on Coaches vs. Cancer Night to help raise funds for the American Cancer Society. The Beavers had the ball first and scored. The Bear Cubs came down and McKenzie Mangino scored for the Bear Cubs. Then after 6 missed shots, the Bear Cubs finally scored again at the 16:10 mark on a field goal by Arianna Hanson. The Beavers answered with their own field goal 17 seconds later to tie the score at 4. Then Anandi Jimenez started a 14-0 run ending with Jade Hudson's basket at the 10:40 mark. Two swished 3-pointers from more than 5 feet beyond the arc by ARC's leading scorer, Jackie Wada, helped them cut the Bear Cubs' lead to 22-14 with 7 minutes in the half. The Bear Cubs finished out the half by making 6 out of 12 shots and turned up the defensive pressure, holding the Beavers to only 3 more points to go into halftime with a 36-17 lead.
            McKenzie Mangino was fouled on the Bear Cubs' first possession of the second half and made both free throws. A minute later the Beavers scored on one out of two free throws. The Bear Cubs scored the next 9 points before Wada hit her third deep 3-pointer at the 14:58 mark, making the Bear Cubs' lead 47-21. With 7 minutes left the Bear Cubs' lead was up to 59-28 after the Beavers had scored 7 more points from the free throw line. The Bear Cubs scored the final points of the game at the 3:09 mark on two free throws by Anandi Jimenez, as went on to win by a score of 64-35.
            Anandi Jimenez led the Bear Cubs with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Arianna Hanson and Whitney Edens also scored in double figures with 13 and 10 points, respectively. Madison Sowards, who only attempted 4 shots, added 7 points. McKenzie Mangino contributed 6 points, Taylor Graham 4, Erin Skinner, Jade Hudson, and Emma Vierra 2 each, and Skyler Olsen 1. The Bear Cubs' defense forced 30 turnovers, coming up with 17 steals. Taylor Graham led with 6. Guards Taylor Graham and Skyler Olsen each grabbed 6 rebounds.

SRJC 47 vs. Diablo Valley 53

Conference Record: 9-1

Overall Record: 21-5

            Entering Friday night's game on the road against the Vikings of Diablo Valley College (13-10, 4-5) the Bear Cubs (21-4, 9-0) had yet to lose a Big 8 game and had won 11 straight contests. Whitney Edens scored the first points of the game on the Bear Cubs' first possession. A field goal by Arianna Hanson and a 3-pointer by Skyler Olsen gave the Bear Cubs a 7-1 lead at the 16:34 mark. The Vikings scored their first field goal with 14:39 on the clock. The Bear Cubs missed 8 shots in a row before Madison Sowards finally hit a field goal at the 12:50 mark for a 10-3 lead. Twenty-nine seconds later Madison sank two free throws. Then the Bear Cubs hit another cold streak missing their next 12 shots, not scoring again until McKenzie Mangino's basket with 5:12 on the clock. Meanwhile the Vikings had added 8 points to their total. After missing their next 4 shots, the Bear Cubs finished the first half by making 4 out of their final 6 shots to take a slim 24-21 lead into halftime.
            The Vikings made the first basket of the second half after two minutes of play. The Bear Cubs hit their first basket nearly a minute later. The game remained close and the Vikings tied the score at 38 with 9 minutes left to play. Neither team could break the tie until a Viking player hit one of two free throws at the 5:41 mark. Forty seconds later Whitney Edens scored a field goal. The Vikings answered with their own field goal. Then Madison Sowards was fouled on a 3-point attempt and made all three free throws. The Vikings tied the game at 43 with 4:10 remaining. The Vikings' leading scorer, Annelise Ito, made the go-ahead basket at the 1:30 mark and added another forty seconds later for a 47-43 advantage. The Bear Cubs missed their next shot and had to foul. Ito sank the one-plus-one free throws with 19 seconds left. The Bear Cubs had missed all 9 of their shots after Whitney Edens last hit hers and finally broke the string when Arianna Hanson hit a 2-footer with 12 second left. The Bear Cubs immediately called a timeout behind 45-49. When play resumed, they couldn't prevent the Vikings from inbounding the ball and were forced to foul. The Vikings' player made both free throws with 10 seconds left. Arianna Hanson, who hadn't attempted a 3-pointer all season, launched a shot from 4 feet beyond the arc with 5 seconds on the clock and was fouled. She missed the first free throw but made the next two. The Bear Cubs fouled right after the Vikings inbounded. Again the same Vikings' player made both free throws, putting them ahead 53-47. Whitney Edens threw up a shot at the buzzer from just past half court, but it bounced off the rim.
            Annelise Ito, a 6-foot forward who leads the Big 8 in scoring averaging 18.0 points per game, scored a game-high 21 points, 16 of them in the second half and 10 points in the final 5 minutes of the game.
            Whitney Edens led the Bear Cubs with 10 points. Madison Sowards scored 9 points, Arianna Hanson and Skyler Olsen 7, McKenzie Mangino and Anandi Jimenez 6, and Erin Skinner 2. Anandi Jimenez and McKenzie Mangino were the top rebounders with 11 and 9, respectively. The Bear Cubs only had 7 assists, and Stephanie Sack passed for 4 of them.
            The Bear Cubs' downfall was their poor shooting. They made 9 out of 40 shots (23%) in the first half and only 7 out of 35 (20%) in the second. They attempted 28 3-pointers, making only 3 (11%).
            The loss keeps the Bear Cubs in first place in the Big 8 but cuts their lead over Sierra (17-7, 8-2) and San Joaquin Delta (16-7, 8-2) to just one game.

SRJC 57 vs. Sierra 40

Conference Record: 9-0

Overall Record: 21-4

            In another game with sole possession of first place in the Big 8 on the line, the Bear Cubs (20-4, 8-0) traveled to Rocklin to take on the Sierra College Wolverines (16-6, 7-1), who had yet to lose a home game this season. The Bear Cubs won the tip off and Whitney Edens sank the first shot of the game to begin a 6-0 run in the first 3 minutes. The Wolverines scored their first field goal at the 16:32 mark and hit a 3-pointer on their subsequent possession to reduce the Bear Cubs' lead to 8-5. The Wolverines' third 3-pointer of the game came with 9:00 on the clock and got them to within one point at 16-17. Then Whitney Edens swished a 3-pointer 35 seconds later. After the Bear Cubs missed their next 4 shots, they made 4 in a row, beginning with a 3-pointer by Stephanie Sack and ending with a 3-pointer by Whitney Edens, to jump out to a 30-20 lead with 2 minutes left in the half. Madison Sowards scored the final points of the half on a putback with 10 seconds left to giver her team a 32-20 halftime lead.
            The Wolverines tallied the first points of the second half after 73 seconds of play, but didn't score again until the 15:40 mark. Anandi Jimenez scored the Bear Cubs' first basket at the 17:54 mark and their second at the 15:22 mark. A Wolverines' 3-pointer 14 seconds later cut their deficit to 27-36. The Bear Cubs' next 7 points came on free throws and pushed their lead to 48-31 with 9 minutes to go. When the Wolverines scored their 40th point with 5:20 left, it reduced the Bear Cubs' lead to 52-40. The Bear Cubs held the Wolverines scoreless the rest of the way and added 5 more points to their own total for a 57-40 win to solidify their hold on first place in the Big 8.
            Madison Sowards came off the bench to lead the team in scoring with 15 points. Whitney Edens also scored 15 points, 12 of them in the first half. Anandi Jimenez recorded a double-double with 12 points, including 8 out of 10 from the free throw line, and a team-high 13 rebounds, 7 of them on the offensive end. McKenzie Mangino and Arianna Hanson each added 4 points, Stephanie Sack hit a big 3-pointer to start the Bear Cubs' run at the 3:40 mark in the first half. Skyler Olsen and Holly Cramer each make their only field goal attempt. Whitney Edens was second in rebounding with 8. Stephanie Sack passed for 7 assists.
            Sierra had been averaging over 72 points per game while giving up 58.9 points. Even though the Wolverines grabbed 29 offensive rebounds compared to the Bear Cubs' 15, they couldn't get many good shots off against the tough defense of the Bear Cubs. In fact, in Big 8 play Santa Rosa leads the conference with fewest points given up at 38.3 ppg. The next closest defensively is San Joaquin Delta at 52.4 ppg.

SRJC 84 vs. Sac City 29

Conference Record: 8-0

Overall Record: 20-4

The Bear Cubs (19-4, 7-0) started the second round of Big 8 play with a rare Saturday night game by hosting the Sacramento City College Panthers (4-14, 0-7). Both teams started by scoring on their first 2 possessions. After a miss by each team, the Bear Cubs sank 3 straight unanswered field goals to pull out to an 11-4 lead after 3minutes of play. Then neither team scored again until the Panthers hit a shot with 14:29 on the clock. McKenzie Mangino finally ended the streak of 6 straight Bear Cub misses by hitting a shot at the 13:30 mark, which started a 6-0 run during the next 3 minutes. When the Bear Cubs called a 30-second timeout at the 6:26 mark, they held a 25-16 lead. The Panthers didn't score again until they converted a 4-point play with 1:24 on the clock. Meanwhile the Bear Cubs had increased their point total to 37 points. A 10-foot field goal by Erin Skinner with 10 seconds left gave the Bear Cubs a 41-20 lead heading into halftime.
            The Bear Cubs started the second half by sinking their first 5 shots, the fifth a 3-pointer by Whitney Edens to jump out to a 52-22 lead after a little more than 3 minutes of play. On the next Bear Cub possession, Madison Sowards missed a 3-point shot but hustled to grab the rebound and put in the follow-up shot. The Bear Cub shooters then went cold, missing their next 7 shots, until Madison Sowards broke the ice with a basket at the 11:58 mark to make the score 56-24. Holly Cramer banked in a 3-pointer on their next turn on offense. A field goal by Emma Vierra with 8:12 on the clock was the first of 5 straight for the Bear Cubs without a miss, ending with Anandi Jimenez's basket at the 5:35 mark for a 72-27 lead. The Bear Cubs' defense only allowed the Panthers to score 2 more points on 2 out of 4 free throws the rest of the game. Holly Cramer added another 3-pointer and Taylor Graham sank one from two feet beyond the arc. Erin Skinner sank the last field goal of the game with 43 seconds on the clock to give the Bear Cubs the win by their largest margin of victory, 84-29.
            Every Bear Cub saw a significant amount of playing time and everyone scored. They had their most accurate shooting game, making 50% of their shots (17 for 35 in the first half and 18 for 35 in the second).  Four players scored in double figures: McKenzie Mangino and Whitney Edens with 12 each, and Arianna Hanson and Anandi Jimenez with 10 each. Skyler Olsen added 9 points. Four players scored 6 each: Madison Sowards, Emma Vierra, Holly Cramer, and Erin Skinner. Stephanie Sack contributed 4 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Taylor Graham completed the scoring with 3 points. Erin Skinner blocked 4 shots and Whitney Edens led with 4 assists.

SRJC 66 vs. Consumnes River 46

Conference Record: 7-0

Overall Record: 19-4

SRJC 55 vs. Delta 53 OT

Conference Record: 6-0

Overall Record: 18-4

            With the sole possession of first place on the line, the Bear Cubs (17-4, 5-0) traveled to Stockton for their only 7:30 pm Big 8 game to take on the Mustangs of San Joaquin Delta College (12-6, 4-1). The Mustangs entered the game undefeated at home and averaging over 61 points per game when hosting. The Mustangs won the tipoff and scored the first field goal of the game after just 20 seconds. But Skyler Olsen's 3-pointer 10 seconds later gave the Bear Cubs the lead. The host team answered with a field goal, and the Bear Cubs re-took the lead on a 3-pointer by Whitney Edens on their next possession. A Mustang 3-pointer a minute later gave them a 7-6 lead which they maintained until Madison Sowards hit a 3-pointer at the 15:45 mark. The Mustangs tied the score at 9 with 13:30 on the clock. The Bear Cubs missed six shots in a row before Anandi Jimenez finally hit a field goal with just under 10 minutes in the half to tie the game at 11. When a Mustang player hit s 3-pointer at the 5:40 mark, it gave them a 19-15 lead. The Bear Cubs battled back to take a 21-19 lead at the 2:43 mark. The Mustangs tied the game 80 seconds later. Madison Sowards sank a 3-pointer with 33 seconds left to send the Bear Cubs into halftime with a 24-21 lead.
            Both teams had trouble sinking shots to start the second half. McKenzie Mangino sank two free throws at the 18:00 mark, but the Bear Cubs didn't score a field goal until Arianna Hanson's at the 14:25 mark. The Mustangs hit their first shot—a 3-pointer—with 14:40 on the clock. Four straight points by Anandi Jimenez before the 10-minute mark gave the Bear Cubs a 37-30 lead. Back-to-back baskets by McKenzie Mangino and Arianna Hanson increased their lead to 43-34 with 4:30 left. Ninety seconds later, the Mustangs started a 9-3 run to narrow the gap to just 3 points with 1:18 remaining. Following a Mustang timeout with 49 seconds to go and them behind 43-46, they worked for a shot and their leading scorer, Lisa Valentine, swished a 3-pointer from 4 feet behind the arc to tie the game with 28 seconds left. The Bear Cubs brought the ball up against full-court pressure and almost lost the ball just past half court. They called a timeout with 8.7 seconds on the clock. When play resumed, they tried to run a play and Whitney Edens got free in the middle of the key for a shot, but it fell short, sending the game into overtime.
            The Mustangs won the jump ball to start the 5-minute overtime period and had 3 missed shot attempts before finally drawing a foul. The Mustang player sank both free throws at the 4:07 mark. On the Bear Cubs' first possession, Stephanie Sack hit a 3-pointer with the shot clock nearly expired. The Mustangs missed their next shot, and this time the Bear Cubs grabbed the rebound. Arianna Hanson was fouled on a shot attempt and made one of two free throws at the 2:54 mark. Anandi Jimenez was fouled after grabbing a defensive rebound 17 seconds later. The Bear Cubs were in the double bonus, so Anandi went to the line to should two shots. She made the first and missed the second. Neither team scored until Lisa Valentine hit one of two free throws at the 1:09 mark. Anandi Jimenez hit a tough 5-footer with 52 seconds on the clock for a 53-49 lead. Valentine scored a field goal with 30 seconds left. Arianna Hanson was fouled with 19 seconds remaining. She made the first free throw, then the Delta coach called two consecutive timeouts. Arianna, who had earlier missed three free throws, stepped to the line and sank the second free throw for a 55-51 lead. The Mustangs pushed the ball and Valentine scored a 2-pointer with 9 seconds left. The Bear Cubs inbounded the ball and threw a bad pass that was intercepted near the Mustang basket. They had two point blank shots that could have fallen in but didn't. Whitney Edens grabbed the rebound. She was pushed but the official called her for traveling. The Mustangs had the ball on their baseline with 2.5 seconds on the clock. They got off a shot that bounced on the rim but didn't fall through the net as the buzzer sounded. The Bear Cubs feel very fortunate to have escaped with a 55-53 win.
            Lisa Valentine led all scorers with 18 points. McKenzie Mangino was the top Bear Cub scorer with 10 points. Three players scored 9 each: Madison Sowards on three 3-pointers, Anandi Jimenez, and Arianna Hanson. Whitney Edens added 8 points, while Stephanie Sack and Skyler Olsen each tallied 5. Stephanie Sack was the leading rebounder with 6. Whitney Edens passed for 5 assists. Arianna Hanson blocked 6 shots, including 2 in overtime.

SRJC 59 vs. Modesto 35

Conference Record: 5-0

Overall Record: 18-4

            Tuesday night the Bear Cubs (16-4, 4-0) hosted the Modesto Junior College Pirates (14-4, 3-1). The Bear Cubs scored first when McKenzie Mangino scored on a hook shot at the 19:13 mark. The Pirates didn't get on the scoreboard until they sank one of two free throws nearly two minutes later. They made their first field goal of the game four minutes later to take a 3-2 lead. The Bear Cubs took the lead back 16 seconds later when Madison Sowards hit a 3-pointer with 13:27 on the clock. The Pirates tied the score at 5 on their next possession then took a 3-point lead when they hit a 3-pointer with just under 12 minutes to go in the half. The Bear Cubs went on a 7-0 run to take a 12-8 lead at the 7:08 mark. With 1:27 on the clock the Pirates had cut the Bear Cub lead to 18-15. Then the Bear Cubs scored 7 straight points for a 25-15 lead. A Pirate basket at the buzzer made the Bear Cubs' lead 25-17.
            The Pirates started the second half with the ball and scored within 17 seconds. The Bear Cubs missed their first 7 shots of the half and didn't score until Arianna Hanson hit a shot with 16:11 on the clock. The Pirates answered with a field goal on their next possession. Two field goals by Skyler Olsen and one by Anandi Jimenez increased the Bear Cubs' lead to 10 at 33-23 at the 13:55 mark. A Pirate 3-pointer 14 seconds later and a free throw at the 12:21 mark cut the Bear Cub lead to 36-27. Then the Bear Cubs scored 11 unanswered points to increase their lead to 47-27 with 8 minutes to play. The Pirates finally scored on a free throw at the 7:52 mark. They scored their final field goal of the game with 4:21 left on the clock, making their deficit 35-54. The Bear Cubs held them scoreless the remainder of the game while adding 5 points to their own total for a final score of 59-35.
            In the first half both teams were plagued with numerous turnovers and poor shooting. In the second half the Bear Cubs only made one more field goal than they did in the first half, but made 7 more free throws. The difference in the second half was the Bear Cubs' half-court trapping defense, which forced the Pirates to turn the ball over 24 times, more than twice their first half total of 11 turnovers.
            Three Bear Cubs scored in double figures: Madison Sowards with 14 points, including three 3-pointers, Anandi Jimenez 12, and Arianna Hanson 10. McKenzie Mangino added 7 points, Erin Skinner 5, Skyler Olsen and Whitney Edens 4 each, and Stephanie Sack 3. Arianna Hanson was the top rebounder with 9.

SRJC 57 vs. American River 40

Conference Record: 4-0

Overall Record: 16-4

            Last Friday the Bear Cubs were on the road again to Sacramento, this time to face the American River College Beavers. The Bear Cubs played a solid first half, holding American River to 14 points with a press creating turnovers and keeping the Beavers from scoring during the first 4 minutes. The Bear Cubs used ball movement and solid inside play to separate in the first half and go into halftime with a 25-14 lead.
After making only 34% (8 out of 23) of their shots in the first half, the Bear Cubs improved their shooting percentage in the second half by hitting 46% (11 out of 24) of their shots, including 40% of them from beyond the 3-point arc. The Beavers would get as close as 33-25 at the 10-minute mark before the Bear Cubs separated with transition baskets. Santa Rosa held the Beavers scoreless during the last 5 minutes of the game and went on to win by a final score of 57-40.
Arianna Hanson led the Bear Cubs with 10 points and 6 rebounds. Holly Cramer came off the bench to hit two 3-point shots in the first half and added a third in the second half for her 9 points. Madison Sowards and Skyler Olsen each added 7 points. Rounding out the scoring for the Bear Cubs were McKenzie Mangino with 6, Whitney Edens 5, Erin Skinner and Anandi Jimenez 4 each, Stephanie Sack 3 and Emma Vierra with 2 points. Taylor Graham didn't attempt any shots, but had 4 steals and 3 assists, leading the Bear Cubs in both areas.

SRJC 64 vs. Diablo Valley 52

Conference Record: 3-0

Overall Record: 15-4

            Sixteen days ago the Bear Cubs had to come from behind to barely beat tonight’s opponent, the Diablo Valley College Vikings, in the final round of the San Jose Tournament. This time in Haehl Pavilion the Vikings scored first and the Bear Cubs tied the score on 2 free throws by McKenzie Mangino at the 18:26 mark. The Vikings hit a 3-pointer 90 seconds later. Then Whitney Edens scored 3 field goals in a row and Anandi Jimenez made one to give the Bear Cubs at 10-5 lead after 7 minutes of play. At the 9-minute mark the Vikings tied the score at 13. With 6 minutes left the Bear Cubs held a 20-18 lead. The Bear Cubs then scored 2 unanswered baskets before 2 Viking free throws at the 3:18 mark. The Vikings outscored the Bear Cubs 7-5 the rest of the half to cut their deficit to 27-29 at halftime.
            The Bear Cubs started the second half by making 5 out of their first 6 shots to jump out to a 39-29 lead after 4 minutes. Anandi Jimenez scored a field goal 2 minutes later for a 41-31 lead. The Bear Cubs missed their next 14 shots during a 5-minute span to allow the Vikings to pull to within 4 points at 39-43 with just under 9 minutes to play. Then Whitney Edens and Skyler Olsen scored within 13 seconds of each other for a 47-39 lead and spark the Bear Cubs. By the 2:27 mark the Bear Cubs had jumped out to a 60-45 lead. The Vikings were able to just cut the Bear Cub lead by 3 points, resulting in a 64-52 victory for the home team.
            Three Bear Cubs scored in double figures: Whitney Edens led with 13, Anandi Jimenez scored 12, and Jade Hudson 10. McKenzie Mangino tallied 9 points, Skyler Olsen 6, Holly Cramer 4, Arianna Hanson 4, Erin Skinner 2, Stephanie Sack 2, Taylor Graham 1, and Madison Sowards 1. Arianna Hanson led with 10 rebounds. Stephanie Sack passed for 5 assists and Whitney Edens 4. Stephanie Sack and Arianna Hanson each made 4 steals.

SRJC 70 vs. Sierra 60

Conference Record: 2-0

Overall Record: 14-4

            In only their fourth home game of the season, the Bear Cubs, with an overall record of 13-4 and 1-0 in the Big 8, hosted the Sierra College Wolverines, who came in with an overall record of 10-5 and 1-0 in the Big 8. The Bear Cubs scored first at the 18:45 mark on 2 free throws by Arianna Hanson. The Wolverines answered on their next possession with a field goal. Jade Hudson finally scored the Bear Cubs’ first field goal with 16:56 on the clock. The Wolverines tied the score on their next possession. For the first 8 minutes of the game, whenever one team scored the other team scored on their next possession in the seesaw contest with the Bear Cubs ahead 10-9. Then the Wolverines ran off 7 unanswered points to go ahead 16-10 at the 9:18 mark. Arianna Hanson finally got the Bear Cubs going again with a 3-point play a minute later. But Sierra came back with a 3-pointer. Even though the Bear Cubs made 6 out of their next 8 shots, they still were behind 19-23 at the 5:27 mark. They got to within 2 points, 24-26 on Anandi Jimenez’s 3-pointer with just over 4 minutes to go in the half. Both teams scored 3 more field goals, but the Wolverines went to the free throw line more often to go into halftime with a 35-31 lead.
            The Wolverines scored the first 3 points of the second half within 44 seconds. Then Skyler Olsen drove to the basket and was fouled. She made both free throws. The Bear Cubs went on to score 12 more unanswered points through the 13:00 mark to take the lead 45-38. The Wolverines bounced back to get within 2 points, 45-47, a little over 3 minutes later. Jade Hudson and Madison Sowards responded with back-to-back baskets. The Wolverines then hit a 3-pointer at the 9:02 mark to make their deficit 48-51. The Bear Cubs then scored on 8 for 8 unanswered free throws. The Wolverines finally scored on a 3-pointer at the 4:42 mark. McKenzie Mangino and Skyler Olsen converted back-to-back field goals to get the lead up to 63-54. Two free throws each by Skyler Olsen and Madison Sowards and Madison’s 3-pointer made the score 70-56 with 1:52 left. The Bear Cubs’ defense allowed the Wolverines to score 2 more field goals to make the final score 70-60.
            The Bear Cubs turned the game around in the second half by hustling more after loose balls, disrupting the Wolverine offense with their half-court trapping defense, and driving more to the basket. After making only 4 out of 6 free throws in the first half, the Bear Cubs converted 19 out of 24 (79%) in the second half. The Wolverines made 7 out of 13 free throws in the first half but only shot 8 in the second half, making just 4 of them. Skyler Olsen was fouled on 5 drives to the basket and made 7 out of 10 free throws. Arianna Hanson made all 7 of her free throws.
            McKenzie Mangino made 6 out of 9 shots, including one 3-pointer, for a team-high 13 points. Arianna Hanson had a double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds. Jade Hudson and Madison Sowards each scored 9 points, Whitney Edens 8, Anandi Jimenez 7, and Stephanie Sack 4. Stephanie Sack was second in rebounding with 8 and passed for 4 assists. Arianna Hanson also blocked 4 shots.

SRJC 60 vs. Sac City 30

Conference Record: 1-0

Overall Record: 12-4

            The Bear Cubs began the 2013 Big 8 Conference campaign on the road against the Sacramento City College Panthers. The Bear Cubs missed their first 3 shots, but got on the scoreboard first on a Skyler Olsen field goal at the 17:30 mark. The Panthers scored the next 4 points and held the lead until Madison Sowards hit a deep 3-pointer with 12:20 on the clock. Madison Sowards scored on a drive on the next Bear Cub possession for a 7-4 lead. Arianna Hanson converted a 3-point play 32 seconds later. Following 4 Bear Cub misses Madison Sowards scored with 9:10 on the clock to make the score 12-6. The Bear Cub full court pressure held the Panthers scoreless for the next 5 minutes while the offense started to make baskets, resulting in a 21-6 lead. The Panthers scored 5 points in a row starting at the 4:40 mark, but the Bear Cubs answered with a Holly Cramer 3-pointer and a 3-point play by Jade Hudson. The Panthers scored their final basket of the half with 28 seconds left. Erin Skinner's basket just before the buzzer gave the Bear Cubs a 33-13 lead going into halftime.
            The Panthers scored first in the second half and outscored the Bear Cubs 10-6 after 10 minutes of play, as the visitors again couldn't get their shots to fall. Finally, Jade Hudson got the Bear Cubs rolling with 2 baskets. Arianna Hanson made the first of 5 Bear Cub field goals in a row, ending with Whitney Edens' at the 7:42 mark, to make the sore 54-26. The Panthers didn't score again until they made one of two free throws with 2:50 on the clock to make the Bear Cub lead 60-27. The Panthers scored the final points of the game at the 2:10 mark on a 3-pointer to make the Bear Cub margin of victory 30 points, 60-30.
            The Bear Cubs were in a scoring funk to start the game, as they only made 4 out of their first 19 shots (21%). Then starting at the 9:10 mark, they made 10 out of their final 14 shots (71%). Shooting turned out similarly in the second half. They made only 3 out of their first 13 shots (23%) and finished by making 8 out of their final 13 (62%). Their free throw shooting wasn't much better—2 out of 9 (22%) in the first half and 4 out of 8 (50%) in the second.
            Whitney Edens was the leading scorer with 16 points, followed by Jade Hudson with 11. Madison Sowards scored 9 points, while Arianna Hanson, Skyler Olsen, and Holly Cramer each tallied 6 points. Stephanie Sack, Anandi Jimenez, and Erin Skinner added 2 points each. Arianna Hanson was the leading rebounder with 6. Stephanie Sack passed for 5 assists. Stephanie Sack and Whitney Edens each made 4 steals.

SAN JOSE TOURNAMENT

SRJC 49 vs. Diablo Valley 43

Conference Record: 0-0

Overall Record: 11-4

    The Bear Cubs battled another Big 8 foe—the Diablo Valley College Vikings—for the Consolation Championship of the San Jose Tournament. The Bear Cubs got off to their worst start of the season, missing their first 14 shots and not scoring until Madison Sowards sank a tough shot at the 12:12 mark to make the score 2-10. A minute later Madison Sowards sank 2 free throws and 50 seconds after that Taylor Graham hit a 3-pointer pulling the Bear Cubs to within 4 points at 7-11. The Bear Cubs' shooting woes continued and after the second of two consecutive Viking 3-pointers swished through at the 7:50 mark, the Vikings' lead was 19-9. Arianna Hanson scored 30 seconds later to start an 11-0 Bear Cub run until the Vikings made the final basket of the half with 33 second left to give them a 21-20 lead heading into halftime.
            McKenzie Mangino scored 6 of the Bear Cubs' first 10 points of the second half to put her team ahead 30-25 after five and a half minutes. Five straight points by the Vikings tied the score at 30 with 13:49 on the clock. Starting with Madison Sowards' 3-pointer, the Bear Cubs scored 7 unanswered points to get their lead up to 7 at 37-30 at the 11:40 mark. The Bear Cubs missed their next 5 shots, which allowed the Vikings to close the gap to 2 points after 11 minutes of second half play. Arianna Hanson then hit two 7-foot shots followed by two close bank shots by McKenzie Mangino and Jade Hudson to increase the gap to 45-37 with 5:19 left. The Bear Cubs missed their final 7 field goal attempts but sank 4 out of 8 free throws to hold off the Vikings for a 49-43 victory.
            Poor shooting almost got the Bear Cubs into too deep of a hole to get out of. They made only 20% (7 out of 35) of their shots in the first half and 31% (11 out of 36) in the second half. Their full court pressure defense caused the Vikings to turn the ball over, reducing their scoring opportunities.
            Three Bear Cubs scored 10 points each: Madison Sowards, Arianna Hanson, and McKenzie Mangino. Three players each scored 4 points: Taylor Graham, Jade Hudson, and Skyler Olsen. Anandi Jimenez and Whitney Edens each added 3 points, and Stephanie Sack
1 point. Three players each grabbed 7 rebounds: Jade Hudson, Skyler Olsen, and McKenzie Mangino. Jade Hudson, who came off the bench to spark the team, was selected to the All Tournament Team.

SAN JOSE TOURNAMENT

SRJC 61 vs. Delta 46

Conference Record: 0-0

Overall Record: 10-4

            The Bear Cubs' second round opponent was one they'll face at least two more times in Big 8 Conference play—the Mustangs of San Joaquin Delta College. The Bear Cubs missed their first shot attempt then went on to make 7 out of their next 9 shots within six minutes to jump out to a 17-9 lead. Then over a ten-minute span the Bear Cubs held the Mustangs to a single free throw while adding 5 free throws and a field goal to their own total. During the final four minutes of the half, the Bear Cubs sank five more free throws and another field goal while allowing the Mustangs to score just five points. Although the Bear Cubs could make only 2 out of their final 18 shots, their defensive pressure helped preserve their lead, which was 31-15 at the end of the half.
            The Bear Cubs started the second half a little sloppy and missed their first 5 shot attempts. Stephanie Sack finally scored the first points of the half at the 17:40 mark. The Mustangs answered with a 3-pointer 80 seconds later and a field goal on their following possession. The Bear Cubs then made 4 out of their next 5 shot attempts ending with 2 field goals and 2 free throws by Jade Hudson to make their lead 44-27 at the 11:53 mark. Then the Bear Cubs hit another cold spell as the Mustangs made 3 field goals and 5 free throws to pull them to within 9 points at 38-47 with just 8 minutes to play. Madison Sowards sank her only field goal of the game with 7:10 remaining to make the score 49-38. A Mustang lay-up through traffic 70 seconds later brought the point differential back down to 9. Arianna Hanson scored a field goal and Jade Hudson sank 2 free throws to raise the Bear Cub lead up to 55-42 with 3:40 on the clock. The Mustangs hit a shot a minute later, but Skyler Olsen followed it up with a 3-pointer and a field goal. The Mustangs added one final basket with 8 seconds left to make the final score 61-46 in favor of the Bear Cubs.
            Jade Hudson came off the bench to lead the Bear Cubs in scoring with 13 points. Arianna Hanson was close behind with 12 points, by making 5 out of 6 shots and both of her free throws. Anandi Jimenez and McKenzie Mangino each scored 9 points, Skyler Olsen and Whitney Edens 6 apiece, Madison Sowards 4 and Stephanie Sack 2. Whitney Edens was the leading rebounder with 8 while McKenzie Mangino grabbed 7. Jade Hudson fought impressively for 5 offensive rebounds. Stephanie Sack led with 4 assists.

SAN JOSE TOURNAMENT

SRJC 55 vs. Canyons 58

Conference Record: 0-0

Overall Record: 9-4

            After a nearly 2-week break from competition, the Bear Cubs played their opening round game of the San Jose Tournament against the College of the Canyons Cougars (from near Magic Mountain in Southern California). The Cougars scored the first two field goals of the game before the Bear Cubs got on the scoreboard on two free throws by Arianna Hanson. McKenzie Mangino scored the Bear Cubs' first field goal at the 16:40 mark to get her team within two points at 4-6. Whitney Edens' basket on their subsequent possession tied the score at 6. The Bear Cubs missed their next 7 shots and found themselves behind 8-19 at the 12:30 mark. One 3-pointer each by Stephanie Sack and Madison Sowards in the following 61 seconds cut the gap to 14-21. When Coach Campbell called a timeout with 7 minutes on the clock to angrily chastise her players for their poor defensive effort, they were behind 18-30. The Bear Cubs responded by picking up their defensive intensity and hustle. The offense, which so far had only made 6 out of 33 shots (18%), also turned things around and finished the half by making 4 out of their final 9 shots. The Bear Cubs held the Cougars scoreless for the final 7 minutes of the half and took a 31-30 lead into halftime.
            The Bear Cubs started the second half with McKenzie Mangino sinking her team's first shot attempt. But a Cougar 3-pointer on their next possession tied the score. Three field goals by Whitney Edens within two minutes and twenty seconds moved the Bear Cubs ahead 39-33. Then the Bear Cubs missed seven shots in a row, allowing the Cougars to re-take the lead 40-39 with 12 minutes left. The Cougars maintained their lead until Anandi Jimenez's basket at the 5:44 mark tied the score at 50. Anandi's fourth field goal of the game, which came a minute later, put the Bear Cubs on top 52-50. The Cougars tied the score 23 seconds later. The Bear Cubs missed their next four shots and the Cougars made three free throws to take a 55-52 lead with 1:25 on the clock. The Bear Cubs missed a 3-point attempt and the Cougars rebounded. As they tried to work for a shot, Stephanie Sack intercepted a pass. The Bear Cubs pushed the ball into their half of the court and Madison Sowards hit a game-tying 3-pointer with 43 seconds remaining. The Bear Cubs' defense seemed to be holding off the Cougars, but their 6'4" center unexpectedly swished a 10-footer with just 15 seconds left. The Bear Cubs missed a 3-point attempt and the Cougars grabbed the rebound. The Bear Cubs fouled immediately with 4 seconds on the clock. The Bear Cubs had been whistled for 10 fouls in the half (the Cougars just 3), so the fouled Cougar went to the free throw line for two shots. She missed the first but made the second for a 58-55 lead. The Bear Cubs were unable to get a shot off in time and suffered a very disappointing loss, dropping them into the loser's bracket of the tournament.
            The Bear Cubs made 9 out of 10 free throws in the first half but were 0 for 2 in the second. The Cougars made 1 out of 2 in the first half and 10 out of 14 in the second. The Bear Cubs shot poorly the entire game. They made 10 out of 42 attempts (24%) in the first half and 11 out of 39 (28%) in the second.
            Whitney Edens led the Bear Cubs in scoring with 13 points and McKenzie Mangino scored 10. Anandi Jimenez added 8 points, while Madison Sowards, Arianna Hanson, and Skyler Olsen each scored 6 points. Stephanie Sack and Jade Hudson tallied 3 each. Jade Hudson was the top rebounder with 8. Arianna Hanson and Whitney Edens each grabbed 7 missed shots. Stephanie Sack passed for 5 assists.

CCSF TOURNAMENT

SRJC 68 vs. LA Valley 53

Conference Record: 0-0

Overall Record: 9-3

            In the Third Place game of the CCSF Tournament, the Bear Cubs took on their fifth Southern California team of this young season, the Marauders of L.A. Valley College. The Marauders scored first 64 seconds into the game. The Bear Cubs took the lead a minute later, 3-2, on a 3-pointer by Stephanie Sack. The L.A. team moved into the lead again 4-3 two possessions later. A field goal by Arianna Hanson and a 3-pointer by Madison Sowards gave the Bear Cubs an 8-4 lead after 5 minutes of play. Then the Marauders scored 7 unanswered points to jump ahead 13-10 with 12:01 on the clock. Twelve seconds later Madison Sowards sank another 3-pointer to tie the score. Arianna Hanson's basket at the 10:32 mark put the Bear Cubs on top 17-16. Taylor Graham's 3-pointer 40 seconds later increased the lead to 20-16. The rest of the half was a pretty even battle, and the Bear Cubs were able to take a 33-27 lead into halftime after Madison Sowards' third 3-pointer of the half with less than a minute left.
            Skyler Olsen's 3-pointer 55 seconds into the second half increased the lead to 36-27. The Marauders scored their first basket of the half a minute later. The Bear Cubs drew fouls and made free throws to help maintain their lead. Anandi Jimenez's 3-pointer at the 5:07 mark gave the Bear Cubs their largest lead so far, 59-46. Madison Sowards sank her fourth 3-pointer of the game with 3:12 left to make the score 62-48. The Marauders could only score a 3-pointer and a field goal in the final minutes, as the Bear Cubs held them off for a 68-53 victory.
            The Bear Cubs entered the contest with record of 9-3 while the Marauders' record was 9-4. The Bear Cubs made 14 out of 17 free throws (82%) while their opponents only made 11 out of 21 (52%). After the sub-par performance and disappointing loss and to San Francisco the previous night, the Bear Cubs came out more energized and confident for the 1:00 pm game. The Bear Cubs attempted 27 3-pointers and made 10 (37%) of them. They made 12 out of their 29 2-point shots (41%).
            Arianna Hanson, who was selected All Tourney, recorded her second double-double of the tournament with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Madison Sowards made 4 out of 9 3-point shots and one out of two free throws for a total of 13 points. McKenzie Mangino scored 9 points, Whitney Edens 8, Anandi Jimenez 7, Stephanie Sack 5, Jade Hudson 4, Skyler Olsen and Taylor Graham 3 each, and Tara Baldini 2. Stephanie Sack also grabbed 6 rebounds and passed for a season-high 8 assists.

CCSF TOURNAMENT

SRJC 48 vs. CCSF 56

Conference Record: 0-0

Overall Record: 9-3

            Just a week ago the Bear Cubs were able to defeat the City College of San Francisco Rams in the championship of their own tournament at Haehl Pavilion. In the second round of San Francisco's tournament these two teams again faced off, with the home team coming out on top. McKenzie Mangino scored on the Bear Cubs' first possession, but the Rams quickly tied the game then hit a 3-pointer to take a 5-2 lead just 72 seconds into the game. The Bear Cubs then proceeded to score 8 unanswered points to go out in front 10-5 at the 14:20 mark. Then they missed their next 6 shots in a four-and-a half minute span allowing the Rams to pull within one point at 9-10. Back-to-back baskets by Arianna Hanson and Madison Sowards broke the scoreless streak. Counting these two field goals, the Bear Cubs made 8 out of their final 15 shots of the half and were able to take a 30-27 lead into halftime.
            Whitney Edens scored the first points of the second half at the 19:10 mark. The Bear Cubs then missed their next 13 shot attempts. Skyler Olsen's basket with 10:44 on the clock finally broke their scoring drought, but by this time the Rams had scored 8 second half points. The Rams started sinking shots and were able to maintain a lead. The Bear Cubs were able to stay close and with 4 minutes left in the game, they were behind by 2 at 42-44. Then the Rams scored 9 unanswered points for a 53-42 lead with just 38 seconds left. Whitney Edens hit a 3-pointer 11 seconds later. The Bear Cubs were forced to foul and the Rams made two free throws with 14 seconds left. Stephanie Sack swished a 3-pointer 4 seconds later. One final Ram free throw with 2 seconds left completed the scoring. The 48-56 loss drops the Bear Cubs into the Third Place game of the tournament.
            The Rams outhustled and outshot the Bear Cubs in the second half. The Bear Cubs only made 2 out of 6 free throws in the first half and never got to the line in the second half. The Rams were 9 out of 15 for the game. The Bear Cubs made 46 % (13 out of 28) of their shots in the first half, but only made 22% (8 out of 36) in the second.
            No Bear Cub scored in double figures. Arianna Hanson led with 9 points and 6 rebounds. Whitney Edens and Madison Sowards scored 8 points each, McKenzie Mangino and Skyler Olsen 6 each, and Stephanie Sack 5. Taylor Graham, Erin Skinner, and Tara Baldini each contributed 2 points.

CCSF TOURNAMENT

SRJC 59 vs. Fresno 54

Conference Record: 0-0

Overall Record: 9-2

            The Bear Cubs opened the City College of San Francisco Tournament against the same opponent they beat to win the Merced Tourney—the Rams of Fresno City College. The Bear Cubs missed their first four shots and finally got on the scoreboard first on a McKenzie Mangino basket at the 17:42 mark. Fresno took a 3-2 lead at the 17:00 mark, then Skyler Olsen hit a 3-pointer 30 seconds later. Madison Sowards' 3-pointer with 14:19 on the clock raised the Bear Cub lead to 12-5. A Fresno 3-pointer at the 11:53 mark tied the score at 14. Arianna Hanson’s 3-point play 29 seconds later gave the Bear Cubs a 17-14 lead. Madison Sowards' basket with 7:18 on the clock increased the Bear Cub lead to 24-16. But the Rams started to make a run of their own, as another 3-pointer at the 3:30 mark got them to within 3 at 23-26. A minute later Arianna Hanson completed another 3-point play for a 29-23 lead. With 1:14 left in the half, the Rams were within 2 points at 29-31. Arianna Hanson scored the last basket of the half 18 seconds later to make the halftime score 33-29.
            The Rams scored the first three points of the second half before McKenzie Mangino finally scored for the Bear Cubs. Madison Sowards' 3-pointer at the 10:23 mark gave the Bear Cubs back a 4-point lead at 44-40. Skyler Olsen's basket nearly 4 minutes later upped their lead to 47-41. Stephanie Sack's 3-pointer with 4:52 on the clock made the score 52-45. Then the tide seemed to turn in Fresno's favor. They grabbed offensive rebounds, drew fouls, and made free throws. Meanwhile the Bear Cubs missed free throws allowing the Rams to pull to within 3 points, 50-53 with 2 minutes to play. Jade Hudson finally scored a Bear Cub field goal with 1:16 left to up their lead to 55-50. The Rams made 2 more free throws within 9 seconds on two separate trips to the line. With 14 seconds on the clock and the Rams forced to foul, Whitney Edens, who had earlier missed 2 free throws, sank both charity shots for a 57-54 lead. Fresno had a chance to tie the score, but Jade Hudson stole the ball with 2 seconds left and was immediately fouled. Jade, after previously missing 4 free throws just minutes earlier, sank both this time for the 59-54 win.
            The Bear Cubs made 9 out of 10 free throws in the first half, but only made 2 out of 13 in the second half until Whitney Edens and Jade Hudson sank the crucial last 4. Fresno had come into the game averaging 69 points per game and ranked #1 in the North in the coaches' poll (SRJC was #3).
            Arianna Hanson, who was having her best game of the season until she got into foul trouble late in the second half, led the Bear Cubs in scoring and rebounding with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Madison Sowards scored 11 points, Skyler Olsen 10, Jade Hudson 8, Stephanie Sack 7, Whitney Edens and McKenzie Mangino 4 each, and Taylor Graham 2. Jade Hudson, who made some big plays in crunch time, also grabbed 12 rebounds, 5 of them offensive. Stephanie Sack led in assists with 4.

SRJC TOURNAMENT

CHAMPIONSHIPS GAME

SRJC 73 vs. CCSF 65

Conference Record: 0-0

Overall Record: 8-2

The championship game of the Caren Franci Invitational Tournament matched the Bear Cubs against the City College of San Francisco Rams, who had defeated San Joaquin Delta College the previous night 62-58. The Bear Cubs jumped out to a 6-0 lead after 3 minutes. Four Ram 3-pointers and two free throws gave them a 14-12 lead with 12:42 on the clock. With 5:41 left in the half the Ram lead was 26-25. Four Bear Cub made shots in a row during the next 3 minutes pushed them out in front 35-28. The Rams scored their last points of the half at the 1:34 mark, and Jade Hudson scored with 28 seconds left to make the halftime score 37-30. The Bear Cubs started the second half with two turnovers near halfcourt which the Rams converted to points. When Coach Campbell called a timeout at the 18:10 mark, the Bear Cubs found themselves behind 39-40. They didn't score for nearly 2 minutes more until Anandi Jimenez hit a 3-pointer. Whitney Edens' 3-pointer 77 seconds later gave them back the lead 45-43. Two Ram 3-pointers helped move them back in front 52-49 with 10:54 remaining. Then two free throws by Arianna Hanson, a 3-pointer by Madison Sowards and two free throws by Stephanie Sack put the Bear Cubs up 56-52 with 8:20 on the clock. Madison Sowards hit another 3-pointer 80 seconds later to make the score 59-56. Two free throws each by Anandi Jimenez and Arianna Hanson and a basket by Whitney Edens increased their lead to 65-56 with 5:18 left. The Bear Cubs made 4 out of 6 free throws in the final minutes to solidify their lead and held on for a 73-65 win to claim the tournament championship for the first time in 10 years. Whitney Edens, who was selected MVP of the tournament, scored 20 points and grabbed 6 rebounds and 3 steals. Anandi Jimenez's point total of 14 included a 3-pointer and 5 out of 8 free throws. Jade Hudson and McKenzie Mangino both had solid games and each ended up with 8 points. Point guard Stephanie Sack, who was selected All Tourney, contributed 7 points and 4 assists. Arianna Hanson also scored 7 points and grabbed a team-high 9 rebounds. Madison Sowards, who had to sit out the last 4 games after suffering a concussion at the COS Tournament, made two big 3-point shots late in the game for a total of 6 points. Skyler Olsen added 2 points and Taylor Graham 1. McKenzie Mangino also pulled down 8 rebounds. The Bear Cubs, who have often struggled at the free throw line, made 22 out of 30 (73%), while the Rams converted 16 out of 22 (73%).

SRJC TOURNAMENT

SRJC 62 vs. Ohlone

Conference Record: 0-0

Overall Record: 7-2

In the second round of their own Caren Franci Invitational Tournament, the Bears were pitted against the Ohlone College Renegades, who had defeated the Mendocino College Eagles in the first round. The Renegades started the game by winning the tip-off and scoring on their first shot 18 seconds later. The Bear Cubs scored the next 6 points within 3 minutes. A Renegade 3-pointer with just under 15 minutes on the clock put them within one point at 6-7. Another 3-pointer at the 11:11 mark gave them a 15-12 lead. A 3-pointer by Whitney Edens 37 seconds later started an 8-0 Bear Cub run to re-take the lead 20-15 at the 5:21 mark. Two free throws by Arianna Hanson followed by her 3-point play with 2:02 on the clock gave the Bear Cubs a 30-24 lead. The Renegades scored one more basket 9 seconds later to complete the first half scoring. The Bear Cubs started the second half with the ball and Skyler Olsen sank a 3-pointer, which marked the beginning of a 14-0 run. The Bear Cubs’ trapping half-court defense forced their opponents into turnovers and rushed shots. The Renegades didn’t score their first points of the half until they made 2 free throws with 12:29 on the clock. With just under 5 minutes to play the Renegades were able to pull to within 12 points, 40-52. Whitney Edens' third 3-pointer of the game came at the 4:21 mark and made the score 55-40. The Bear Cubs held onto their lead and won with a final score of 62-48. Whitney Edens had a good all-around game, leading the team in scoring with 19 points and being second in rebounding with 7. Anandi Jimenez was the only other player in double figures with 10 points. Skyler Olsen, who started for the first time in her career, had a solid game and scored 9 points. Arianna Hanson contributed 8 points and a team-high 9 rebounds. McKenzie Mangino added 6 points, Stephanie Sack 5, Erin Skinner 4, and Jade Hudson 1. Stephanie Sack passed for a career-high 7 assists.

SRJC TOURNAMENT

SRJC 59 vs. Alumni 49

Conference Record: 0-0

Overall Record: 6-2

The Bear Cubs were scheduled to play the Simpson University JV team in the first round of their own Caren Franci Invitational Tournament, but the visitors unexpectedly couldn't field a team. The Bear Cub coaches got on the phone just days before the start of the tournament and were able to get enough players to fill a team. With both teams seeming to be playing "for the fun of it" in the first half, the current Bear Cubs took a 33-17 lead into halftime. The Bear Cubs scored 7 points in the first 3 minutes of the second half, then didn't score again until the 11:20 mark. Meanwhile the Alumni players started to find their range and pounded the offensive boards. With 8:55 on the clock the Bear Cubs grabbed just the second defensive rebound of the half. The Alumni cut their deficit to just 4 points. But a 3-pointer by Emma Vierra and one by Anandi Jimenez helped the Bear Cubs increase their lead. Erin Skinner scored the final 4 points of the game for the Bear Cubs as they went on to win the game 59-49. With all of the non-injured players seeing a lot of playing time, no one scored in double figures. Anandi Jimenez led with 9 points. Jade Hudson, Skyler Olsen, and Erin Skinner each scored 8 points. McKenzie Mangino and Emma Vierra had 7 apiece while both Whitney Edens and Arianna Hanson scored 6. Jade Hudson was the leading rebounder with 6. Stephanie Sack didn’t score but contributed 5 rebounds, 4 steals, and 4 assists. Charlene Popoff, who played the last two years at Cal Poly Pomona after transferring from SRJC, led the Alumni in scoring with 12 points. Jenna Reed, who finished her basketball eligibility last season and is now on the softball team, made two 3-pointers and finished with 11 points. The game started on a bad note for the Bear Cubs as Holly Cramer went down with an ankle injury going for a defensive rebound 14 seconds into the game. Fortunately, x-rays taken the next morning showed her ankle was sprained and not broken.

COS TOURNAMENT

SRJC 50 vs. Ventura 56

Conference Record: 0-0

Overall Record: 5-2

On day four of the 16-team COS Tourney the Bear Cubs were matched against the Ventura College Pirates, the team ranked #2 in the polls behind Mt. SAC, with the winner taking home the 5th place trophy. It took 86 seconds for the Bear Cubs to score the first basket of the game—a 3-pointer by McKenzie Mangino. A 3-pointer by Whitney Edens and a 3-point play by Arianna Hanson gave the Bear Cubs a 9-2 lead after just over 3 minutes into the game. But 3 Pirate 3-pointers helped give them a 15-14 lead at the 6:42 mark. A basket by Skyler Olsen at the 6:30 mark pushed the Bear Cubs ahead again and ended their five minute scoring drought and started an 8-0 run. The Pirates responded with a 6-0 run during the next 90 seconds. A 3-pointer by Stephanie Sack and a 3-point play Arianna Hanson helped the Bear Cubs take a 28-25 lead into halftime. The Pirates started the second half with an 8-0 run. Whitney Edens put the Bear Cubs’ first point of the half on the scoreboard when she sank one of two free throws with 16:49 on the clock to make the score 29-33. Whitney’s 3-pointer at the 11:48 mark put the Bear Cubs back on top 37-36. Five Pirate free throws and a field goal put them ahead 43-39 with just under 6 minutes to play. Arianna Hanson’s basket with 5:30 on the clock got the Bear Cubs within two points, but they then went nearly two minutes without scoring while the Pirates added three points. Two baskets by Anandi Jimenez made the score 45-48 with 3:12 on the clock. The Pirates hit a 3-pointer 50 seconds later. At the 1:55 mark Anandi Jimenez’s basket made the score 47-51. The Bear Cubs weren’t able to score and were forced to foul. The Pirates made 5 out of 6 free throws the rest of the way for a total of 56 points. Jade Hudson’s 3-point play with 28 seconds left got the Bear Cubs to 50 points, making the final score 50-56. The Bear Cubs missed their chance to change the complexion of the game when they missed several free throws starting at the 8-minute mark and the score tied at 38. They ended up making only 5 out of 13 free throws in the second half (38%), while the Pirates made 14 out of 19 (74%). The Bear Cubs played tough defense, holding the Pirates to nearly 20 points under their season scoring average. Anandi Jimenez led the team in scoring with 11 points. Whitney Edens and Arianna Hanson scored 9 each, Stephanie Sack and Jade Hudson 8 each, McKenzie Mangino 3, and Skyler Olsen 2. Jade Hudson was the top rebounder with 7. Whitney Edens and Stephanie Sack each passed for 5 assists.

COS TOURNAMENT

SRJC 68 vs. Cerritos 59

Conference Record: 0-0

Overall Record: 5-1

In the third round “Win or go home” game of the COS Tourney, the Bear Cubs played their third Southern California team in a row, the Falcons of Cerritos College. The Falcons grabbed the ball after the tip-off and scored on a cut to the basket with only 10 seconds gone. They added a free throw at the 19:00 mark. Anandi Jimenez put the Bear Cubs on the scoreboard 20 seconds later to start a 15-2 run during a 5-minute span. A Falcon basket with 9:44 on the clock cut their deficit to 12-17, but Madison Sowards answered with a 3-pointer 12 seconds later. Seven points by Anandi Jimenez, 2 baskets by McKenzie Mangino and one by Erin Skinner during the remainder of the half combined with tough Bear Cub defense helped build up a 33-17 halftime lead. The Falcons scored 2 field goals to start the second half before McKenzie Mangino sank the Bear Cubs’ first basket at the 17:20 mark. The Bear Cubs didn’t score again until Holly Cramer swished a 3-pointer nearly 2 minutes later. Skyler Olsen’s 3-pointer with just under 10 minutes to play increased the Bear Cub lead to 54-33. Then the Falcons suddenly got hot while the Bear Cubs were held scoreless for the next five-and-a-half minutes. When Jade Hudson hit one of two free throws with 4:22 on the clock, the Bear Cub lead was down to 55-47. The Falcons answered with a field goal 48 seconds later. When Anandi Jimenez sank her last field goal of the game at the 2:33 mark, it put her team ahead 59-51. The Bear Cubs held the Falcons scoreless until they hit a field goal with 51 seconds left. With the Falcons forced to foul, the Bear Cubs made 7 out of 10 free throw attempts to solidify their lead. Whitney Edens made a lay-up with 10 seconds left, and the Falcons sank a 3-pointer 5 seconds later to bring the final score to 68-59. Anandi Jimenez had a great game, leading the team with 19 points and 9 rebounds. Stephanie Sack, who passed for a team-high 4 assists, scored 11 points. McKenzie Mangino contributed 10 points, Madison Sowards 7, Holly Cramer and Whitney Edens 6 each. Guard Skyler Olsen, who played her best game as a Bear Cub, scored 4 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. Jade Hudson scored 3 points and Erin Skinner 2. The Bear Cubs made 18 out of 29 free throws (62%) while the Falcons only made 9 out of 24 (38%).

COS TOURNAMENT

SRJC 39 vs. Mt. Sac 61

Conference Record: 0-0

Overall Record: 4-1

In the second round of the COS Tournament the Bear Cubs faced the Mt. San Antonio College Mounties, the defending State Champions and #1 team in the polls. The Mounties scored the first 2 field goals of the game in the first 80 seconds. Madison Sowards recorded the Bear Cubs’ first point when she sank the second of 2 free throws at the 17:15 mark. The Mounties’ defensive pressure forced the Bear Cubs into numerous turnovers, resulting in few scoring opportunities. When Coach Campbell called her first timeout at the 13:49 mark, her team was behind 1-10. Forty-eight seconds later Whitney Edens converted a 3-point play to make the score 4-10. The Bear Cubs sank their next 4 shots in a row to pull to within 1 point, 15-16 with 6:10 on the clock. Whitney Edens sank the Bear Cubs’ final field goal of the half with just under 4 minutes to play to make the score 17-18. The Mounties outscored the Bear Cubs 8-5 in the final minutes of the half to take a 26-22 lead into halftime The Mounties started the second half with 4 points in the first 90 seconds. Arianna Hanson sank the Bear Cubs’ first shot of the half at the 19:00 mark, but the team didn’t score again until Jade Hudson converted a 3-point play with 14:52 on the clock. By this time the Mounties’ lead was up to 38-27. The Bear Cubs missed their next 8 shots before Anandi Jimenez converted a 3-point play at the 7:12 mark to make the score 31-48. Whitney Edens sank 2 field goals in a row, prompting the Marauder coach to call a timeout at the 5:57 mark with the score 35-49. But the Bear Cubs could only make 1 out of their final 7 shots and 2 free throws, while the Mounties added 12 more points, leading to the Bear Cubs’ first loss of the season, 39-61. In the first half the Bear Cubs had more turnovers (18) than shot attempts (15). In the second half the Bear Cubs still committed 14 turnovers and made just 6 out of 26 shot attempts (23%). Two players for the Mounties got hot in the second half, as they scored all but 9 of their team’s 35 points in the half. Whitney Edens led the Bear Cubs in scoring with 15 points. Arianna Hanson contributed 8 points and 7 rebounds. Stephanie Sack added 5 points, Madison Sowards 4, Anandi Jimenez 3, Jade Hudson 3, and McKenzie Mangino 1. Jade Hudson and McKenzie Mangino were the leading rebounders with 8 apiece. The Bear Cubs improved their free throw percentage somewhat, making 14 out of 25 (56%).

COS TOURNAMENT

SRJC 64 vs. Antelope Valley 59

Conference Record: 0-0

Overall Record: 4-0

Following a two-week break the Bear Cubs were back in action against the Antelope Valley Marauders in the opening round of the College of Sequoias Tournament in Visalia. After just over 2 minutes of play the Marauders scored first on 2 free throws. Forty seconds later, Stephanie Sack gave the Bear Cubs the lead when she swished a 3-pointer. Forty-four seconds after that Whitney Edens’ 3-pointer extended the lead to 6-2. When Jade Hudson sank her second field goal of the game, it gave the Bear Cubs a 14-4 lead with12:20 on the clock. At the 7:00 mark the Marauders cut their deficit to 12-16. The Bear Cubs sank 6 of their final 7 shots of the half to jump out to a 33-19 halftime lead. During the first 5 minutes of the second half, the Marauders outscored the Bear Cubs 6-5. Then a 3-point play by Jade Hudson with 14:40 on the clock gave the Bear Cubs their largest lead, 41-25. The Marauders proceeded to mount a furious comeback, outscoring the Bear Cubs 18-4 during the next six-and-a-half minutes, to make the score 41-45. With 3:50 on the clock the Bear Cubs’ lead was 50-42. A Marauder 3-pointer at the 1:07 mark put them ahead 52-50. Stephanie Sack’s 3-pointer 9 seconds later put the Bear Cubs back on top 53-52. The Marauders re-took the lead 16 seconds later, 54-53. During the final 42 seconds of regulation time, the Bear Cubs went to the free throw line twice. Anandi Jimenez missed both of her attempts, but Madison Sowards made one of two with 16 seconds left to tie the game at 54. The Bear Cub defense kept their opponents from scoring, sending the game into overtime. In the 5-minute overtime period the Marauders scored first on a 3-point play with 4:48 on the clock. Arianna Hanson sank 2 free throws on the Bear Cubs’ next possession. Madison Sowards made a field goal at the 3:42 mark for a 58-57 lead. A Marauder basket at 2:22 put them back ahead 59-58. Fifty seconds later McKenzie Mangino gave the Bear Cubs the lead for good, 60-59, with a short bank shot. Whitney Edens, who had missed two free throws in the second half, sank both of her attempts with 25 seconds left. Anandi Jimenez intercepted a pass near the Marauder basket and was fouled with 11 seconds left. She made both free throws to give the Bear Cubs more breathing room. The Marauders could not score again, leading to the 64-59 Bear Cub win. The Bear Cubs made the game too close my making only 7 out of 26 free throws (27) in regulation. Fortunately they made all 6 of their free throws in overtime. Arianna Hanson, who made 7 out of 10 free throws, led the team in scoring with 13 points. Madison Sowards added 10 points, Stephanie Sack and Whitney Edens 9 each. Anandi Jimenez, who was playing in her first game of the season, scored 8 points and blocked 5 shots. Jade Hudson scored 7 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. McKenzie Mangino contributed 6 points and 6 rebounds, and Holly Cramer added 2 points. Guards Madison Sowards and Stephanie Sack were the leading rebounders with 9 and 8, respectively.

MERCED TOURNAMENT

CHAMPIONSHIPS GAME

SRJC 76 vs. Fresno 70

Conference Record: 0-0

Overall Record: 3-0

In the championship game of the Merced College Tournament the Bear Cubs were matched against a Fresno City College Rams team that entered the game averaging 80 points a game. The Bear Cubs took a 5-0 lead after 68 seconds on free throws by Whitney Edens and a 3-point play by Arianna Hanson. The Rams scored the next 4 points before Holly Cramer hit the first of 4 Bear Cub shots without a miss. McKenzie Mangino's 3-pointer at the 15:20 mark gave the Bear Cubs a 15-12 lead. The Bear Cubs missed their next 7 shot attempts making it possible for the Rams to take the lead 16-15. With 8:31 left in the half the Rams had increased their lead to 26-19. Arianna Hanson sank the Bear Cubs' last basket of the half at the 4:16 mark to put the score at 23-31. The Rams added one more basket with over a minute in the half giving them a 33-23 lead heading into halftime. The Rams scored the first 6 points of the second half, and after 4 minutes of play held a 43-25 lead. Whitney Edens scored the Bear Cubs' first field goal of the half with 15:40 on the clock. Following a single Bear Cub missed field goal attempt, Madison Sowards scored 7 points in a row within 86 seconds. Then Stephanie Sack sank a 3-pointer, McKenzie Mangino hit an outside shot, and Arianna Hanson put in an 8-footer to pull the Bear Cubs to within 5 at 41-46 with 11:15 on the clock. Whitney Edens' 3-pointer at the 5:24 mark gave the Bear Cubs the lead at 57-54. Thirty-four seconds later, with the score 57-56, Stephanie Sack was fouled on a shot attempt and sank both free throws. A Ram basket at the 1:16 mark made the Bear Cub lead 68-62. A Ram 3-pointer with 56 seconds left moved the score to 70-65. The Bear Cubs scored their last 6 points of the game on free throws and held on for a 76-70 win to claim the championship. Madison Sowards and Arianna Hanson both scored 17 points each to lead the Bear Cubs in scoring. Arianna Hanson tied the tournament record for made free throws by sinking all 9 of her attempts. She also grabbed 12 rebounds. Whitney Edens played another solid game, scoring 12 points and passing for 9 assists. Jade Hudson, who played a key role in the comeback, scored 11 points and grabbed a team-high 15 rebounds. Other scorers were Stephanie Sack with 7 points, Holly Cramer and McKenzie Mangino with 5 each, and Tara Baldini with 2. Madison Sowards was selected the tournament MVP and Whitney Edens All-Tourney.

MERCED TOURNAMENT

SRJC 57 vs. San Jose 49

Conference Record: 0-0

Overall Record: 2-0

The Bear Cubs' victory over Cypress the previous evening put them into the winners' bracket to face the Jaguars of San Jose City College in the second round of the Merced College Tournament. The Bear Cubs made their first 4 shots of the game to jump out to a 9-2 lead with 16:58 on the clock. Then they missed their next 6 shots during a three and a half minute span but still managed to hold a 9-5 lead. A basket by Jade Hudson and two in a row my Whitney Edens increased their lead to 17-7 with just over 11 minutes in the half. But at the 9:36 mark the Bear Cubs committed their tenth team foul of the half, setting up the Jaguars to shoot two free throws for every foul. During the final 9:36 of the half the Jaguars sank just 2 field goals but added 8 free throws to stay close and only trail by 6 at the half, 20-26. The Bear Cubs scored the first 4 points of the second half, then the Jaguars returned the favor with 4 unanswered points of their own. Tara Baldini's basket at the 10:40 mark gave the Bear Cubs a 38-30 lead. After the Jaguars sank 4 free throws in a row, they pulled to within 4 points, 40-44, with 3:22 on the clock. With 1:27 left and the Bear Cubs holding onto just a 48-44 lead, Stephanie Sack was fouled and sank both ends of the 1 plus 1. The Jaguars answered with a field goal at the 1:10 mark. Eight seconds later Stephanie Sack was fouled in the backcourt. She again sank both ends of the 1 plus 1 for a 52-46 lead. Whitney Edens scored on a breakaway lay-up with 44 seconds left. The Jaguars then hit a 3-pointer 11 seconds later. Whitney Edens hit 2 free throws and Arianna Hanson 1 free throw in the final 33 seconds to complete the scoring for a 57-49 win and move the Bear Cubs into the championship game of the tournament. The Jaguars ended up sinking 21 out of 34 free throws, while the Bear Cubs hit 11 out of 19. The Bear Cubs had 2 players score in double figures—Whitney Edens with 16 points and McKenzie Mangino with 10. Holly Cramer added 7 and 3 players had 6 each—Stephanie Sack, Madison Sowards, and Jade Hudson. Arianna Hanson scored 3 points but led the team in rebounding with 8. Tara Baldini contributed 2 points and Skyler Olsen 1. Stephanie Sack led in assists with 4.

MERCED TOURNAMENT

SRJC 51 vs. Cypress 44

Conference Record: 0-0

Overall Record: 1-0

The Bear Cubs played their first game of the 2012-2013 season in the opening round of the Merced College Tournament against the Cypress College Chargers from Southern California. Arianna Hanson scored the first points of the game at the 18:32 mark. The Bear Cubs missed their next 5 shots in a 4-minute span, allowing the Chargers to take a 3-2 lead. Then the Bear Cubs sank 6 out of 7 shots in less than 5 minutes to jump out to a 13-5 lead. They began to misfire again, opening the door for their opponents to sink four 3-pointers and jump out to a 24-17 lead with 52 seconds in the half. But one basket each by Jade Hudson and Arianna Hanson closed the halftime gap to 21-24. Freshman Stephanie Sack hit the Bear Cubs' first shot of the second half—a 3-pointer—to tie the game at 24. One minute later the Chargers retook the lead, which they maintained until Arianna Hanson sank 2 free throws at the 13:20 mark, putting the Bear Cubs ahead 34-32. The Bear Cubs then held their opponents scoreless for the next five and a half minutes to pull out to a 40-32 lead. The Chargers came back and added 6 more points to their total until Madison Sowards' 2 free throws at the 5:06 mark gave the Bear Cubs a 44-38 lead. A Charger 3-pointer with 2:08 on the clock pulled them to within 3 points at 41-44. With 32 seconds on the clock and the score 45-42, Arianna Hanson hit the first of 2 free throws. She missed the second, the Chargers rebounded, but Jade Hudson stole the ball and passed out of traffic. Whitney Edens was fouled with 21 seconds left. She made the first free throw. She missed the second, but Jade Hudson grabbed the rebound. Stephanie Sack was fouled with 14 seconds left and sank both free throws for a 49-42 lead. The Chargers sank 2 free throws of their own 7 seconds later to make the score 49-44. Arianna Hanson went to the free throw line with one second on the clock and hit both free throw to make the final score 51-44. Guard Whitney Edens, who scored 11 points in the second half, led the Bear Cubs in scoring with 14 points and in rebounding with 9. Forward Arianna Hanson made 5 out of 7 free throws and finished with 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 blocks. Jade Hudson contributed 7 points and 7 rebounds. Other scorers were Tara Baldini with 6, Stephanie Sack 5, Madison Sowards 4, and McKenzie Mangino 2. The Bear Cubs made a total of 16 steals, with Madison Sowards leading the team with 4.