With two starters out of the lineup, SBCC used a balanced attack and hot first-half shooting to cruise past L.A. Valley 74-54 on Sunday and claim third place in the Sequoias Tom Gilchrist Invitational at Visalia.
The Vaqueros (8-4) sank 17-of-38 (44.8 percent) from the field and nine 3-pointers while building a 46-21 halftime lead. Nanice Kollee scored all 10 of her points in the first half and finished with seven assists.
Valley, ranked No. 15 in Southern Cal, fell to 6-3.
Sophomores Imelda Bealer and 6-3 Leigh Cullinan didn’t play for Santa Barbara but the Vaqueros didn’t miss a beat as they outrebounded the Monarchs 38-29.
“Anyone can step in and play, it doesn’t matter if you’re a starter or a sub,” noted coach Sandrine Krul. “We beat two ranked teams and had our best finish here in my seven years. I’m very happy.”
Six players scored between eight and 13 points, led by Lyndsay Bergus (13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals) and Leslie Steele (12 points, 4 rebounds). Steele hit 3-4 from downtown in the opening half and Kollee and Bergus added two triples apiece.
Brooke Amenta had nine points, four rebounds and four steals and Brooke Berry contributed eight points, six rebounds (five offensive) and seven steals. Berry and Janelle Wong (8 points, 4 rebounds) were named to the all-tourney team in the 16-team tournament.
SBCC went 3-1 in the four-day event.
The Vaqueros open play in the Moorpark Tournament on Friday against Imperial Valley at 1 p.m.
