Sophomore guard Imelda Bealer scored her team’s first eight points to ignite a 25-5 run that carried the SBCC women’s basketball team to a 68-45 victory over Sequoias on Saturday in the home opener at the Sports Pavilion.
The Vaqueros (2-2) led 25-8 with 4:09 to go in the first half after a 3-pointer and follow shot by Jennifer Jimenez sandwiched around two free throws by guard Nanice Kollee.
SBCC led 27-15 at intermission and stretched the margin to 21 (51-30) on a steal by Brooke Amenta that led to a Michelle Herrera layup with 9:12 to play.
Kollee scored 12 of her team-high 14 points in the second half. She hit 3-6 from long range and had three assists. Bealer added 13 points and five steals, Jimenez had nine points and Amenta collected seven points and nine rebounds.
Leigh Cullinan, a 6-3 sophomore, added six rebounds off the bench.
Bealer and Amenta each hit 5-6 from the charity stripe on a night when the home team knocked down 82 percent (18-22).
Fourteen players got in the game for SBCC and they forced 36 turnovers while making 17 steals.
The Vaqueros were outshot 38 to 26 percent but hit 10-of-27 from downtown while holding the Giants (0-3) without a 3-pointer (0-15). Bealer hit 2-3 from the 3-point arc and six other Vaqueros had at least one triple.
“Our defense was really good, we held them under 50,” said coach Sandrine Krul. “I love our balanced scoring. Fourteen points, 13, nine, seven … That’s perfect, that’s working our system.
“We‘re a young team and we have to keep working to build our confidence.”
SBCC opens play in its MTXE Tournament on Thursday against San Diego Mesa at 7 p.m.
