PCC's Johnson Named All-SCC Women's Basketball Freshman Of The Year

Pasadena City College's Dariel Johnson was selected as the 2018-2019 All-South Coast Conference North Division Women's Basketball Freshman of the Year. She was one of four Lancers chosen to the 25-player conference team.

Johnson, a medical redshirt who returned to the program five years after playing her first collegiate game with the Lancers in 2014, made it all the way back this season to become one of the state's top post players. In the regular season, she averaged 15 points and 14.7 rebounds (third in state) while finishing second in blocked shots in the state. The 6-foot-2 center is a local product of Pasadena High.

Also making the All-SCC North First Team from PCC was point guard Cosette Balmy (Ribet Academy), who averaged 13.8 points and 3.9 assists. 

Transfer sophomore guard/forward Daniela Mendez (7.2 points average, from Bakersfield's Foothill High and College of the Sequoias) and frosh forward and defensive/rebounding specialist Zaira Velasquez (Garfield High) were each picked All-SCC Second Team.

ROUND 3 REGIONALS PLAYOFF PREVIEW--LANCERS AT EAST LOS ANGELES, SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 7 PM

The Lancers All-SCC group helped No. 6 seed PCC (19-10 record) advance to a Round 3 final of the Southern California Regional Playoffs behind a 61-58 Round 2 victory over #11 seed Palomar College at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium on Friday. 

For the third time in the last four seasons, Pasadena finds itself playing at #3 East Los Angeles College, a 55-52 winner over #14 Cypress on Saturday, in the regional finals. The two meet for the third time this season on Saturday, March 9 in a 7 p.m. tip-off at ELAC's Monterey Park gym.

In 2016, PCC lost a Round 3 regional at ELAC, 58-45. In 2017, the Lancers again lost in overtime, 70-64, at the Huskies home court. In both cases, ELAC advanced to the CCCAA State Championship Tournament. Pasadena is trying to reach the state tournament for the first time since 2010. 

Earlier this year in South Coast games, the Lancers lost 69-57 to ELAC at home, then couldn't hang on to lead in the fourth quarter at East LA, 62-59. In that February 13 contest, PCC jumped ahead by 10 at one point, 22-12. In the fourth quarter, the Lancers were up, 52-45, with eight minutes left, but the Huskies went on a 12-2 run to take a 57-54 advantage. Mendez hit a 3-point basket that cut it to a 1-point ELAC lead, 60-59, with 13 seconds left but it would be PCC's final points. 

Like Pasadena, East LA (26-6) also placed four players on the All-SCC North teams including First Teamers in sophomore guard Jaelynn Curry, averaging 13.9 points a game and the SCC's leading 3-point shooter with 92 triples and a 42.2 percent shooting accuracy behind the arc, and letterman forward Dominique Godbolt, who averaged a double-double at 12.3 points and 10.4 rebounds a game. 

Johnson has some excellent numbers in the two ELAC contests, averaging 18 points, 19 rebounds, five blocks, 3.5 assists, and three steals as Pasadena's top player. Balmy has also been effective v. the Huskies with 34 points scored, including a team-high 20 in the second meeting. All-SCC Second Team choice Jadis Watson was the only ELAC player to score in double figures in each of the two wins over the Lancers, averaging 12.5 points. 

One of the key statistics in East LA's favor during its two PCC games was free throw shooting. The Huskies made a combined 33-for-48, a solid 69 percent from the line while the Lancers were a dismal 15-for-36, just 41.7 percent on free attempts. 

In Peron's history v. East LA, the Lancers hold a 30-15 winning record. However, the Huskies have turned the tide in this rivalry, winning 11 of their last 13 games v. PCC dating back to 2014. 

With his team's win in Round 2 v. Palomar, Peron picked up his 37th all-time postseason victory in 23 seasons. The Lancers are 24-4 in all home playoff games, and 22-2 in all regional games played at the HP Gym. As the road team, history has not been on Pasadena's side as the program is 5-10 in regional road encounters. The last time the Lancers won on the road in the postseason was just two seasons ago, defeating Saddleback in a Round 2 game.