COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Front-Line Work Helps Cypress Advance in Women’s Basketball Playoffs

Cypress, relying mostly on its front line, hung on to beat Los Angeles Trade Tech, 77-73, in a Southern California women’s basketball playoff game Wednesday at Cypress.

Cypress (23-9) led, 58-42, with 10 minutes 46 seconds left. But Trade Tech, using a full-court press, cut the lead to 70-68 with 2:46 left.

Jennifer Johnson increased the Cypress lead to 72-68 with a short jumper with 1:55. Sara Works added two free throws to give the Chargers a 74-68 lead with 1:43 left.

Works, a freshman forward who was the co-most valuable player of the Orange Empire Conference, had a game-high 32 points. Johnson, a sophomore forward, had 14 points, 10 in the second half. Tamika Harold, a sophomore forward, scored 12.

Works, Johnson and Harold combined to score 18 of the Chargers’ final 19 points and Works finished with 12 rebounds. Cypress advanced to play at Ventura Saturday.

“It’s always our plan (to go inside),” Cypress Coach Kevin Kiernan said. “Sara is really becoming a force inside and we want to use her as much as possible.”