San Bernardino Valley used a late 14-0 run to down SBCC 80-68 in the Vaqueros’ MTXE Women’s Basketball Tournament on Friday night.
Summer Ramsey led the No. 4 Wolverines (4-1) with 20 points. Mhiah Vickers had 17 for the Vaqueros (3-1), who suffered their first loss of the year.
Santa Barbara will take on San Mateo for third place on Saturday at 2 p.m. San Bernardino, the defending MTXE champion, moves into the championship game against Solano, which beat San Mateo 88-59. The championship is set for 4 p.m.
The Vaqueros used a 14-2 run and took their biggest lead of the game, 25-18, on a 3-pointer by Jessica Valadez with 6:36 to go in the first half. San Bernardino regained the upper hand with a 13-0 burst before the Vaqueros ended the first half on a 10-0 run to take a 35-31 halftime lead.
Vickers added six rebounds and six steals while Andrea Morales had 12 points, seven steals and five rebounds off the bench. Morales and Valadez (9 points) each hit a pair of 3-pointers.
Elia Salazar had eight points and 10 boards and Darla Morales collected eight points and four assists. The Vaqueros made just 31.1 percent from the field and 51.6 from the free-throw line (16-31).
“We were missing wide-open shots down the stretch,” said coach Sandrine Krul. “We just didn’t hit shots tonight. We were playing hard, diving after loose balls, no complaints there. The bottom line is you have to hit shots.”
The Vaqueros fell behind by four, then regained the lead at 63-62 on Valadez’s second triple. SBCC went cold for the next four minutes, however, and the Wolverines scored 14 unanswered points to go up 76-63 with 1:18 to play.
The biggest blow was a five-point play that stretched a three-point lead to eight at 71-63. Alexis Whitaker hit a 3-pointer and Norissa Sanders, last year’s MTXE MVP, was fouled under the hoop. Sanders hit both free throws to complete the five-point play.
“Basketball is a game of runs and we can go on runs,” Krul noted. “But we also have to play defense. We have to stick to our 2-and-2 philosophy – you stop 2 to get 2 and you get 2, then stop 2. So then you’re always ahead. And when you don’t go on a run, you still have the lead.”
Sanders scored 14 of her 16 points in the second half. The 6-footer was often guarded by 5-7 Andrea Morales, SBCC’s best post defender. Morales fouled out with 2:32 to play.
“Andrea has the best post defense,” said Krul. “She’s a beast in there.”
Santa Ana edged Riverside 75-71 and Sequoias took care of L.A. Southwest 70-42. Santa Ana and Sequoias will meet for the consolation title at noon.
