COMMUNITY COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL STATE TOURNAMENT : Golden West, Orange Coast Taking It to a Higher Level

Golden West and Orange Coast spent the season battling to be Orange County’s top women’s basketball team. Today they take the feud to a larger venue: the State Tournament at Ventura College.

The appearance in the final eight is nothing new for Golden West, which is making its seventh consecutive visit. The Rustlers, coached by Dick and Dave Stricklin, won the State championship in 1990 and 1991.

Golden West (34-2) is the top-ranked team in Southern California, having won 24 consecutive games. But the Rustlers’ path to the title game won’t be easy. They open at 7:30 p.m. against Fresno City (26-9), which beat them, 96-79, in the College of the Sequoias Tournament in Visalia.

Things will not be easier this time because Golden West is without sophomore guard Erika Miller, who suffered a dislocated elbow in the 110-64 victory over Antelope Valley in the opening round of the playoffs. She averaged 12 points.

Melanie Iwamasa, a freshman guard, averages 20 points to lead the Rustlers. She was the Orange Empire Conference’s most valuable player. Cinnamon Basco, a sophomore forward, was one of the most improved players in the conference. Basco, a first-team all-conference selection, averaged 16 points and 13 rebounds. She set a single-season record for rebounds with 454.

Frances Oda, a sophomore guard, averaged 11 points and 6.5 assists.

A Golden West victory in the first round means a rematch with either Orange Coast (27-5) or Alan Hancock (26-3). Golden West beat OCC twice this season but lost to Hancock.

Orange Coast, which set a single-season record for victories, makes its first tournament appearance.

The Pirates opened the season with an school-record 15 consecutive victories before losing to Lassen and Sacramento City in the DeAnza Holiday Tournament.

Hancock and OCC both like to press and run the floor. OCC will need a fine defensive effort from everyone, especially forward Jana Davis, who likely will guard Tania Brunton, who averaged 26.6 points, third best in the state.

OCC counters up front with sophomore Colleen Hatch, an all-conference pick, who averaged 16 points and eight rebounds. Ricarda Kuypers, a freshman point guard who was an all-conference selection, averaged 14 points, six assists and four rebounds.

LeAnn Kazmer, a sophomore center, averaged 11 points and seven rebounds and Heather Brannan, a sophomore guard, averaged 11 points.

In the other first-round games: Lassen (32-1) plays Los Angeles Harbor (28-3) at 3:30 p.m. Bridget Williams of Los Angeles Harbor is the state’s leading scorer, averaging 38.5 points. She set a state single-game record with 72 points this season.

Siskiyous (22-8) plays Ventura (26-4) at 5:30 p.m. in other first-round game.