Fullerton Can’t Keep Up With San Jose

There’s no question the Fullerton women’s basketball team played a challenging schedule this season.

The Hornets tied for first in the Orange Empire Conference and came up with an impressive playoff victory at Pasadena.

But nothing the Hornets did all season or in practice this week prepared them for the high-pressure attack unleashed by San Jose in the first round of the state community college women’s basketball championships Thursday at Concordia.

San Jose dominated from the outset, led by as many as 40, and coasted to an 83-54 victory.

It was the most points Fullerton had given up and the fewest it scored this season.

“That team was just better than us,” Fullerton Coach Debi Woelke said. “That was obvious in the first five minutes.”

San Jose (32-2) led by nine points 10 minutes into the game and was up by 25, 47-22, at the half.

Fullerton had 16 turnovers in the first half and wasn’t able to adjust at halftime. The Hornets (27-9) turned it over on three consecutive possessions to start the second half and finished with a season-high 34 turnovers.

“You can’t simulate that kind of pressure in practice when someone does something so well,” Woelke said. “They were physical too.”

San Jose’s first-half run was aided by some impressive three-point shooting.

The Jaguars made seven of 13 in the opening half, including one that banked in and another that hit the heel of the rim, bounced higher than the backboard and still fell through the net.

Fullerton’s attempt to get back in the game with the three-pointer wasn’t as successful. The Hornets made two of 15 in the game as Angie Baca, who holds the college’s single-season and career records, was one of eight. Courtney Keegan scored 19 to lead five San Jose players in double figures. “We played hard,” San Jose Coach Terri Oberg said, “Our physical defense was the big key for us.”

Paola Flores was one of the few Fullerton players who kept up with San Jose and scored 19, including making seven of 11 free throws. Lauren Murphy was the only other Hornet in double figures with 13.

“We just tried to relish the positive things,” Woelke said, “we had an incredible season.”