Community College Women’s Basketball : Golden West Ousted in Semifinals, 74-69

Long Beach College’s inside size advantage concerned Golden West Coach Dick Stricklin so much that he changed his starting lineup Friday.

But it didn’t help much as Long Beach upset Golden West, 74-69, in one semifinal of the women’s community college state basketball championship at American River College.

Long Beach (26-6) plays Santa Rosa, a 65-59 winner over Los Angeles Valley, tonight at 7 for the championship.

It was the second consecutive season that Golden West (32-3) had been the top-seeded team from the south in the tournament and been upset in the semifinal.

American River defeated Golden West last season in the tournament at Cypress College.

Golden West started 5-foot 10-inch Allyson Jenkins in place of Stephanie Swanson, who is 5-8.

The move was made to counter Long Beach’s sister centers Jan (6-2) and Pam (6-4) Pearson.

It was the third time the teams, both in the South Coast Conference, had played this season.

Golden West won the first meeting, but Long Beach stopped the Rustlers’ 27-game winning streak with a 92-84 victory three weeks ago.

“In that game they really killed us inside,” Stricklin said. “We needed to do something so we switched the lineup. They are just a big team, and we don’t match too well with them.”

The Pearons controlled the middle Friday, and Golden West just missed too many shots. The Rustlers were 25 of 69 (36%).

Jan Pearson had 11 points and 18 rebounds and Pam 14 points and 12 rebounds. Lisa Podesta led Long Beach with 20 points.

Long Beach opened a 10-0 lead in the first four minutes. Golden West rallied behind 8 points by Kris Takayama and 12 by Jeannine Battaglia and trailed, 41-40, at the half.

Battaglia led Golden West with 18 points.

Golden West had several opportunities to take the lead.

Swanson scored on a 15-foot baseline jump shot to cut Long Beach’s lead to one at 58-57 with 7:41 left. But she missed two free throws at 6:20 that could have given Golden West the lead.

The Rustlers missed five shots inside the paint in a two-minute stretch from 6:20 to 4:20.

Long Beach moved out to a 63-57 lead on two baskets by Podesta and a free throw by Pam Pearson.

Golden West took its only lead at 64-63 on a five-foot jumper by Lori Totosz with 2:10 left.

But Totosz, a forward, fouled out with 2:01 left. She joined forward Jane Utu, who had fouled out with 5:24 left. Forward Meg Mitchell fouled out for Golden West with 1:23 left.

Pam Pearson made two free throws with 35 seconds left to give Long Beach a 70-66 lead. Golden West’s Kathy Werth scored to made to 70-68 with 18 seconds left but Jan Pearson scored on a rebound basket to give Long Beach a 72-68 lead with 12 seconds remaining.

Golden West final chance came with eight seconds left.

Battaglia made the front end of a one-and-one to cut the lead to 72-69. She missed the second shot intentionally in hopes of a rebound and a three-point shot, but Long Beach’s Podesta got the long rebound, was fouled and made both shots.