Cerritos used a strong start and finish to hand SBCC a 66-50 loss on Thursday in a first-round women’s basketball game at the Glendale Lady Vaquero Shootout.
The Falcons (4-1), ranked No. 10 in Southern Cal, outscored the SBCC Vaqueros 18-10 in the first quarter and 12-3 in the final period. Elissa Root hit a 3-pointer to cut deficit to nine, 59-50, with 5:38 to go and that proved to be the only Vaquero points in the final quarter.
SBCC outscored the Falcons 22-18 in the third period to pull within seven, 54-47.
Jeanie Pattison had 13 points, six rebounds and three assists. Destinee King recorded her third straight double-double ith 11 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. Root added eight points for Santa Barbara (1-4).
Cerritos led 18-10 after one quarter and 36-25 at the half. The Falcons outshot the Vaqueros 43 to 28 percent and SBCC had 29 turnovers compared to 15 for Cerritos. SBCC made just 10-of-34 shots in the paint.
“We got great rebounding (51-40 advantage), we played well and the fast break was really working in the third quarter,” said coach Sandrine Krul. “We just couldn’t finish and make open shots in the fourth.”
SBCC will battle tournament host Glendale on Friday at 3 p.m. in a consolation semifinal. College of the Desert knocked off Glendale 71-54.
