CS Long Beach Women Get Big Win

They came to practice Thursday morning expecting little more than a light shoot-around. But Cal State Long Beach women’s players got much more than that. They were treated to a full-scale, punishing workout that, apparently, inspired them in Thursday night’s game.

The No. 7-ranked 49ers played perhaps their best game of the season in beating 18th-ranked Western Kentucky, 107-74, before a crowd of 1,208 at the University Gym. With its fastbreak running at full speed--helped by 34 turnovers from the Hilltoppers--Long Beach looked more like teams of old than this season’s struggling club.

All thanks to a tough workout Coach Joan Bonvicini thought might shake her players.

“I love it when Joan yells like that,” 49er forward Shameil Coleman said. “She really worked our butts off. I love it. We go into the game like that. You can tell the difference when we have practiced hard.”

The blowout was satisfying to a team that, even with a 7-3 record, has not performed as well as expected. Not so Thursday night. The 49ers exploded at the start of the game and capitalized on turnovers and steals (they had 18 in the game) to outwit Western Kentucky (5-3).

Western Kentucky got within 17 points in the second half, but Long Beach twice ran up a lead of 34 points. With a 30-point lead with 2:17 left Bonvicini rested her starters, and even then the level of play did not drop.

Long Beach is still finding its way but some things are becoming apparent. There is help from the bench, always a saving grace. Guard Dana Wilkerson can be counted on to enter the game and spread her enthusiasm and verve. Coleman had 16 points Thursday night. Cheryl Dowell, a senior, had 17 points.

“Cheryl and I had a nice talk,” Bonvicini said. “I told her she was going to get a chance. She had to make the most of it.”

It may be that, Traci Waites and Penny Toler not withstanding, the days of the well-rounded Long Beach team are dawning. “This team is not a team of one person,” Bonvicini said with some conviction. “We are a team of 12 people, and we saw that tonight.”

Waites continues to impress. After scoring 30 points Tuesday night she had 28 Thursday. Waites also had 7 assists, made all her free throws.