Johnson, Balmy Joined Women's Basketball 500-Point Club This Season

While things have been a little rocky for the state #13-ranked Pasadena City College women's basketball team in recent weeks, the 11-4 Lancers are excited to have two new members of the program's 500-point club in sophomores Dariel Johnson and Cosette Balmy.

Johnson is quietly climbing up PCC's All-Time Scoring List after just missing out on a triple-double in a 72-45 home loss to state #1-rated Moorpark on Wednesday night. A forward-guard Johnson scored 11 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and fell a block short with nine blocked shots in the defeat. The 6-foot-1 Johnson, who was both an All-State player and PCC's 2018-19 Women's Athlete of the Year, added four steals and four assists to also lead the team in those categories.

In 46 career games, Johnson currently has compiled 622 points, placing her #27 on the school's scoring list. Balmy, who has watched her team go 1-3 as she has sat out her fourth straight game due to injury, is at #29 on the list with 587 points in 41 career contests. The team is in need of their top scorer and point guard who is expected to return to action later this month.

In all, 35 players are part of the elite 500-point club in women's basketball history and all but two played under legendary head coach Joe Peron, who has 532 career wins in now his 24th season in charge of the sport. 

In Wednesday's loss, Moorpark was paced by All-State guard Bree Calhoun, who scored 17 points and made an impressive nine steals. The Raiders held PCC to a 2019-2020 season scoring low while also notching more points than any other team this season against the Lancers. Most of that scoring came in the final 13 minutes after PCC played strong zone defense that kept the Moorpark lead to only 39-29 late in third quarter. With the game already decided, the Raiders made three straight 3-point baskets over the last few minutes.

The game proved to be one of the cleanest games in recent memory as the referee trio of Zipporah Chase, Efren Lopez, Mjumbe Williams whistled only 15 combined fouls on the two teams and a season-low eight v. PCC. All nine Pasadena players who played scored at least one basket, including sophomore guard Merina Latu, who had 10 points. 

The Lancers next host Cerritos College in a 6 p.m. South Coast Conference crossover game on Friday, Jan. 10.