Chick-fil-A Classic A Treat For Women's Basketball

It was the home-opening tournament unveiling the refurbished Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium floor and the Pasadena City College women's basketball fans and PCC coaching staff enjoyed the home cooking in winning the Chick-fil-A Classic played Friday and Saturday.

The Lancers are undefeated at 4-0 after romping over San Diego City College, 79-52, on Friday night in the 2019-2020 home opener and more than doubling the score on Imperial Valley, 75-32, on Saturday afternoon. Dariel Johnson was named MVP of the tourney after recording a pair of doubles-doubles in points and rebound while Cosette Balmy also was a PCC selection on the 5-player All-Chick-fil-A Classic tournament team. 

In Saturday's clincher, IVC led briefly at 8-7 after Coach Joe Peron had put in his second unit. He immediately re-entered his entire starting five and it resulted in sparking an 18-2 run. Kristal Espinoza made a steal and basket, followed a second later by another steal and layup by Balmy-plus-a free throw. Johnson took a ball the length of the floor for a 3-point play, then Balmy made another steal, basket-and-one. In a span of just 90 seconds the Lancers led for good at 17-8. 

Johnson finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds (8-for-10 at the line and 4-for-5 on field goals), and three assists. Balmy added 13 points, seven steals and three assists. Espinoza had 11 points and four steals. Merina Latu contributed seven points while Angela Garcia had seven points, four boards and three assists off the bench. 

From the point of the start of the early first-quarter run, PCC outscored the Arabs, 48-14, from the 4:50 mark of the opening quarter through the end of the third period. 

In the win over SDCC, Balmy scored a team-high 15 points with three steals while Johnson added 12 points (6-for-8 from the floor) and 14 rebounds. Reserve guard Mya Rivera sank a trio of 3-pointers as part of her 11 points while starter Merina Latu also dropped in three treys for nine points. Espinoza added eight points while Lizette Espinoza (no relation to Kristal but the younger sister of assistant coach Judith) chipped in eight points. Garcia had seven points and five rebounds. 

Encouraging for Peron is his reserves are producing as the second and third rotations scored 35 points in the San Diego win and 23 more in the triumph v. Imperial Valley. 

"I know what I'm going to get with my starting five," Peron said. "But it's nice to see the next unit come in and put up points too. This is new for us as we have been kind of top-heavy with a main three to five players who have done the bulk of our scoring over several seasons. When we are able to get 10 or more players involved in our offense, it's going to result in some of these lopsided scores. Overall, it was a fun weekend for us in front of the home fans."

2019 CHICK-FIL-A ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
MVP--DARIEL JOHNSON, PCC, 6-1 G/F
COSETTE BALMY, PCC, 5-4 PG
Jasmine Ponce, Imperial Valley, 5-0 PG
Aliyah Milner, SD City, 5-5 PG
Anastasia Reagins, Desert, 6-2 C