Concordia Gets Around SCC, 80-66

Although playing with heavy hearts and without their coach, Southern California College kept it close for a half before falling, 80-66, to Concordia in a Golden State Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Tuesday at SCC.

Angela Sather, the conference’s leading scorer, had 24 points and nine rebounds and Heather Carll added 19 points and 18 rebounds to help Concordia (15-5, 3-1 in conference) move into a tie for first with Point Loma Nazarene.

SCC Coach Russ Davis was not with the team Tuesday because his stepfather died Monday, Assistant Coach Ollie Martin said. Davis will return to the team after attending the funeral today.

“I think it affected the team,” Martin said, “but they still played really hard.”

Elaine Whittemore, who had 14 points, and Carrie Burt, who scored all of her nine points in the first half, helped keep SCC (13-6, 2-3) as close as five at halftime.

Concordia pushed its lead to 47-37 three minutes into the second half with a 7-0 run and SCC never gained any ground. SCC made only two field goals in the first 13 minutes of the half and watched Concordia pull ahead, 67-44, to put the game away.

“We wanted to put pressure on their post players,” Concordia Coach Dave Wolter said. “Heather came through tonight.”

Carll had 15 points and 11 rebounds in the first half to set the tone. Carll also helped send SCC’s Whittemore and Gina Jojola, the Eagles’ two leading scorers and rebounders, to the bench with foul trouble.

And Concordia took advantage. The Eagles had 26 offensive rebounds, creating numerous second-chance points, and outrebounded the Vanguards, 52-27.

When Concordia wasn’t scoring inside, Allison Fortner (16 points, three three-pointers) and Kristin Weddick (seven points, six assists) scored from the perimeter.

Amber Chaney scored 14 points and Alana Kempton had 13 for SCC.

In a Golden State Athletic Conference men’s basketball game:

Southern California College 85, Concordia 76--Terence Wilborn scored 22 points and Adam Dzierzynski added 14 points and 13 assists for SCC (15-7, 2-3), which led, 45-28, at halftime. Greg O’Hagan scored 24 points and Kalim Scott added 21 points and 13 rebounds for Concordia (9-11, 2-3).