Women’s basketball: OCC turns it on at end

Joseph Boo

IRVINE - Orange Coast College’s women’s basketball team might not

be the best shooting team around, but there’s a reason why the Pirates

are 20-1 and ranked No. 2 in the state.

OCC used defense and clutch shooting to defeat host Irvine Valley college

on Friday, 71-54, in an Orange Empire Conference game. It was OCC’s 18th

win in a row, and the Pirates are 4-0 in conference.

But it wasn’t easy for the Pirates. IVC (13-7, 2-2 in conference) closed

an 11 point deficit down to 50-49 with 9:01 left in the second half. That

was the closest the Lasers got to OCC, though, as the Pirates switched

their defense from man to zone.

Sarah Middlebrooke then hit a jumper to give OCC some breathing room.

Shauna Steward hit a three-pointer to give OCC a 55-49 lead. When Erin

Tomlinson hit a three with 6:09 left, that gave OCC a 60-49 lead. By the

end of the game, OCC had a 17-point victory, ending on a 21-5 run. Leah

Wilde scored eight of her 13 points in the final eight minutes.

OCC started off shooting 34.5% in the first half, and still led, 34-27.

That’s because IVC didn’t shoot a whole lot better, only 36.4% in the

half. The Lasers also turned the ball over 11 times.

“We played good defense in the first half,” OCC Coach Mike Thornton said.

“We were also getting hammered on offensive rebounds, but we got better

in the second half.”

Although the Pirates didn’t shoot well, only 35.4%, it caused 27

turnovers, and had a huge edge in free throw. The Pirates hit 20 of 36

from the line, compared to IVC’s 9-of-14 shooting. And Thornton feels the

low shooting percentage and high number of free throws are related.

“The referees were calling all the ticky-tack fouls,” he said. “So it was

hard for both offenses to really get it going.”

But at the end, OCC found enough offense to win. Just enough offense.

ORANGE EMPIRE CONFERENCE

OCC 71, Irvine Valley College 54

OCC - Fierst 14, Wilde 13, Tomlinson 12, Steward 11, Middlebrooke 9,

Johnson 5, Lewis 4, Masuda 2, Urban 1.

3-pt. goals - Steward 2, Fierst 1, Johnson 1, Tomlinson 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.

IVC - Suiaunoa 13, O’Hara 10, Regan 6, McCluskey 6, O’Keefe 6, Opielowski

4, Kamada 3, Allred 2, Reese 2, Avestruz 2.

3-pt. goals - Suiaunoa 2, Kamada 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.

Halftime - 34-27, OCC