Golden West Women Win Big, Gain Berth in State Tournament

den West College gained its fourth consecutive berth in the state women’s basketball tournament with a 130-80 victory over El Camino Saturday at Golden West.

Golden West (34-1) will enter the tournament, which begins Thursday at College of the Sequoias in Visalia, as the top-seeded team from Southern California.

The victory marked the school-record sixth consecutive time the Rustlers have scored more than 100 points in a game. It was also the school-record 13th time in a season that the Rustlers have scored more than 100 points.

“Well, we made it again,” Golden West Coach Dick Stricklin said. “We knew it was going to be a run-and-gun game because that’s what they like to do as much as we do.”

Golden West had defeated Antelope Valley, 115-61, in the first round of the playoffs Wednesday.

Golden West led, 61-44, after a physical first half Saturday; the Rustlers’ Shawna Armstrong had to leave the game in the first minute when she was hit in the stomach.

Armstrong returned six minutes later and finished with a team-high 24 points.

Her substitute, Micki Hamilton, scored a team-high 16 points in the first half and finished with 21.

Donna Gondringer added 21 points and Claudette Jackson 16 for Golden West.

Lynn Sherman had 37 points for El Camino (22-8).