Women’s Basketball: Tigers trim Pirates

Add percentages to the list of things working against the Orange Coast College women’s basketball team this season.

Coach Mike Thornton’s Pirates’, who have battled preseason personnel losses, injuries and a confounding string of calamities, some of their own creation, twice had open three-point attempts in the final 11 seconds that would have tied the Orange Empire Conference game with visiting Riverside on Thursday.

But statistical form held and neither long-range shot connected, allowing the Tigers to claim a 59-55 triumph that pushed OCC (14-13, 5-6 in conference) into fifth place and further onto the precipice of postseason viability.

It was the numbers, as much as the Tigers (16-11, 6-5) who crunched the Pirates in this one.

The first of its potential tying three-pointers was shot by sophomore Sami Little, who had missed her previous 23 attempts and was just three for 46 from distance this season in conference play before taking the necessary set shot with 11 ticks remaining. Little, who did produce a career-high 26 points and was thoroughly responsible for keeping the Pirates within striking range, saw her conference futility from threedom slip to 6.4% (three for 47).

Still, OCC, as seems to be its custom, did not relent quite yet. The Pirates got the ball right back by forcing RCC into a five-second violation on its ensuing inbounds play.

The hosts then worked the ball unselfishly around the perimeter to create an open chance for freshman Sarah Nunes, who was one for 12 from three-point territory in her previous five games, including zero for seven in the past two-plus contests. Nunes’ miss was rebounded by Riverside’s Paradise Hanchett, who was fouled and made the second of two free throws to finalize the margin with eight-tenths of a second left.

There was more three-point drama at the end of the second and third periods, all of which went the Tigers’ way.

OCC freshman Michelle Wu knocked Riverside’s Britney Gonzalez to the floor while Gonzalez launched a desperation three-point heave near midcourt just before the halftime buzzer. Gonzalez sank all three fortuitous foul shots to pull the visitors even, 32-32.

In the final possession of the third quarter, Nunes’ three-point try from the right corner rattled in and out to allow the Tigers to cling to a 47-43 advantage as the final period began.

Freshman Chyann Pendergrass sank a three-pointer to cap a 7-0 OCC run with 38 seconds left in the third quarter, but OCC, which was two for 16 from three-point range, could only trim the deficit to one in the final 10 minutes.

Little, who in her freshman season at OCC in 2010-11 won three games with late three-pointers Thornton said, was 13 for 22 from the field in her final home game. She added four rebounds, three assists and three steals, with only one turnover in 38 heroic minutes.

“I’ve had a lot of players who played hard here,” said Thornton, in his 27th season at OCC. “But I don’t think I’ve ever had one who played harder than Sami. She had a great game.”

Nunes finished two for 13 from field and Pendergrass was two for 12, while producing nine points, six assists, and five turnovers in 38 minutes.

Other than Little, OCC was 10 for 45 from the field (22.2%).

In addition, OCC, playing without its best rebounder and post presence, Jenna Rodriguez (is sidelined with her left foot in a boot), lost the rebounding battle, 50-34.

Riverside, for which Hanchette had 23 rebounds and 16 points, converted 14 offensive rebounds into a 15-7 advantage in second-chance points.

Four of Hanchett’s seven field goals came on put-backs, including two in the final quarter.

Fink, a sophomore who filled in admirably for Rodriguez as a gritty 5-foot-6 post defender, had six rebounds, two assists and two steals in addition to two points. She made her only field-goal attempt.

Freshman Sophie Guzman had six points and five boards in 22 minutes off the bench, and added one steal to help the Pirates claim a 22-13 turnover advantage.

The loss was fifth in the last six games for OCC, which is 2-4 in conference games decided by four points or fewer. OCC is 2-1 in games decided by six points, including a win at Riverside on Jan. 20.

Still, Thornton believes a victory in the regular-season finale at Saddleback on Feb. 19 would give the Pirates hope for a berth in the Southern California Regional playoffs.

“I felt if we had won [Thursday], we would have been in the playoffs for sure,” Thornton said. “And I told the players afterward that I think if we beat Saddleback [which pulled a 52-49 upset at OCC on Jan. 27 for only its second win in 10 conference contests] we have a better than 50% chance of getting into the playoffs.”

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Orange Empire Conference

Riverside 59, Orange Coast 55

SCORE BY QUARTERS

RCC 16 16 15 12 – 59

OCC 13 19 11 12 – 55

RCC – Madison 10, Hanchett 16, Walker 11, Gonzalez 8, Lofton 7, Burris 4, Daniels 2, Stevenson 1.

3-pt. goals – Gonzalez 1, Walker 1, Lofton 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

OCC – Nunes 4, Fink 2, Little 26, Pendergrass 9, Wu 5, Guzman 6, Lewis 3.

3-pt. goals – Wu 1, Pendergrass 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.