Community college women’s basketball: Pirates denied

Steve Virgen

VALLEY GLEN - Heartbreak is the ultimate growing pain. And, the

Orange Coast College women’s basketball team, which starts four freshman

and rotates four more off the bench, received plenty of pain in the heart

after a 69-68 loss to host Los Angeles Valley, in the third round of the

Southern California Regional Playoffs Friday night.

“Our freshman grew up a lot,” OCC Coach Mike Thornton said of the

season after his team missed its bid to advance to the state’s Final

Eight.

L.A. Valley guard Markia Derby, a transfer from Pasadena City, knocked

down the gamewinner, a five-foot bank-shot from the baseline with three

seconds left. Derby, L.A. Valley’s leading scorer this season, posted a

game-high 24 points, 16 in the second half.

The Pirates (25-9), who didn’t get a final shot off before the buzzer,

were led by freshman point guard Nancy Hatsushi. She scored a team-high

20 points and hit 6 of 9 three-pointers (67%). One three-point attempt

was a desperation heave before the end of the first half, when the

Monarchs (30-5) led, 33-29.

OCC finished 12 of 20 from beyond the three-point arc (60%).

“(Derby) just made a great shot,” Thornton said, while his players

consoled one another. “It’s been a great season. To come back from our

four losses in the first half of conference and then come to this point,

is great.”

Coast team captain Kyra Melville, a sophomore forward, contributed 18

points in her final game as a Pirate, while freshman forward Liz Mendoza

came off the bench to score 17 points, including three three-pointers.

OCC opened the second half with an 18-6 run in a span of 6:30. The

highlight of the Pirates’ blitz came from freshman Lindsey Galasso, who

connected on an off-balance three-point bomb from NBA range with one

second left on the shot clock, giving OCC a 43-39 lead with 14:10 left.

The Monarchs responded and came within, 48-46, with 10:50 left and the

game remained tight the rest of the way. The teams traded one-point leads

six times in the final 2:20.

After an OCC timeout, Hatsushi nailed her final three-pointer with 36

seconds left, that gave OCC a 68-66 lead. Hatsushi swished in the trey

from the corner after a pass from freshman guard Lindsey Galasso, who

scored nine points and hit 3 of her 6 three-pointers.

Michelle Duncan grabbed an offensive rebound for L.A. Valley and was

fouled with 21 seconds left. She made the second of two foul shots on the

double bonus, and trailing, 68-57, the Monarchs quickly fouled to put Liz

Mendoza on the free-throw line.

Mendoza, who scored five points in the final 2:20, missed the front

end of a one-and-one.

L.A. Valley 6-foot-4 sophomore center Liliana Ramirez (14 points)

grabbed the rebound and passed to point guard Itricia Ewells (14), who

drove to the basket and had her shot blocked out of bounds.

With 10 seconds left, Thornton called a timeout to set up defense.

L.A. Valley Coach Mike Muro said his squad is a team of destiny after

the game. The proof: The last shot was supposed to be for Duncan, but

Derby ended up with the ball.