Season Wavering For Women's Basketball

The Pasadena City College women's basketball team had high hopes when South Coast Conference North Division play began on January 19. By Friday night, the Lancers fell to 0-3 in conference and are facing the prospect of possibly missing the postseason.

State #10-ranked East Los Angeles led by as much as 41 points after three quarters before PCC's state-leading scorer Lupe Vazquez scored 19 of her game-high 39 points in the fourth quarter to make the score respectable in an 83-62 Lancers loss. It was the team's sixth straight defeat as ELAC sharpshooter Naomi Winston-Ellis tied a Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium record by making 10 baskets from 3-point range as part of her 34 points. At one point, Winston-Ellis made nine 3s in a row and finished 10-for-16 from downtown.

ELAC (15-5, 3-0) drained 14 treys overall, making six in the third quarter alone in outscoring PCC, 28-7, in that period. The Huskies shot 42.4 percent from beyond the arc while PCC made 9-for-28 (32.1).

Vazquez made four 3s in the fourth quarter and took 32 shots overall, converting on 14 baskets. The freshman added a game-high 10 rebounds. The rest of the Lancers totaled 9-for-26 from the field with Vazquez's six teammates combining for only 23 points. Forward Naomi Turner contributed seven points and five rebounds. Emily Trinh chipped in five points and six boards.

A swarming Huskies' defense that outbattled PCC for loose balls was paced by ELAC's Delilah Kimble-Gray who just missed a double-double with nine points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and six steals. 

Pasadena (7-9 overall) outscored ELAC, 27-7, in the fourth quarter, showing it refused to quit after falling behind by such a large deficit.

On Wednesday, Jan. 26, PCC led 62-60 on Turner's basket with nine seconds remaining, but host Rio Hondo sent the game to overtime on a layup by Rosalie Avalos with only three seconds on the clock. Pasadena held a 66-62 lead in the extra session, but Avalos sank two free throws for a 70-68 Roadrunners lead with 1:08 left. A missed free throw with three seconds remaining gave RHC the OT win, 70-69. Vazquez was 10-for-11 from the line as part of her 28 points to go with 12 rebounds and seven assists.

Maiya Villanueva added 20 points, draining six 3-pointers. Turner made 12 points and six rebounds and center Tatiana Ayala pulled down 17 rebounds with four points and three assists.

Vazquez, averaging now 29.3 points, has scored 30 or more points in seven games. She already has four of PCC's top nine single-game highest scoring performances in school history, including her high of 44 points earlier this season v. MiraCosta. She has played in just 14 games as a Lancer and yet has passed the 400-point mark (410 points overall). 

On Wednesday, Feb. 2, the Lancers host LA Trade-Tech in a 7 p.m. tipoff at the HP Gym.

Note: No fans are permitted at remaining PCC games due to COVID-19 and Omicron surge in Los Angeles County.