Women’s basketball: OCC wins sloppy game

Tony Altobelli

COSTA MESA - Sloppy or pretty, a win is a win for Orange Coast

College women’s basketball team. Just don’t tell Coach Mike Thornton

that.

“We’re not playing well at all,” Thornton said following his team’s

73-60 nonconference win over Mt. San Antonio College. “We have too many

people trying to do too many things out there.”

Sarah Middlebrooke led the Pirates with 16 points, six rebounds and

five steals, while Shauna Steward, Leah Wilde and Kristen Urban each had

11 points.

Whether it was due to early season jitters or the tenacious defense on

both teams, there were plenty of turnovers to go around. Mt. SAC had 22,

while OCC compiled 21.

“Both teams really played hard,” Thornton said. “We beat them in the

Chaffey Tournament last weekend and Mt. SAC was talking some trash

afterward. They felt like they should have won, so I was happy to see our

club come out and work hard on the defensive end.”

That hard work resulted in 16 steals for the Bucs (3-1) and a poor 35 percent shooting from the field for the Mounties (2-2).

The Pirates used a 10-0 run midway through the first half to turn a

19-14 deficit into a 24-19 lead, a lead they would not lose for the rest

of the game.

Mt. SAC tied the game at 29-29 before Urban ripped off three-straight

baskets. Three free throws later, OCC led, 38-29, at the half.

“Kristen is a streaky shooter,” Thornton said. “She shot well at the

end of the first half, but she still needs to find her groove

defensively.”

OCC led by as many as 14 in the second half, thanks mainly to the

strong inside play of Middlebrooke, who scored nine of her 16 points in

the second half.

“She’s pretty much our entire inside game,” Thornton said. “It was

nice to see her make some things happen in there.”

Amber Thomas had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Mounties to lead

all scorers, while Jennifer Diche and Monica Armstrong each added 12

points for the Mounties.

Mt. SAC managed to cut the 14-point lead in half to 67-60, but the

Pirates, who outscored the Mounties, 16-7 from the free throw line, made

clutch shots from the line to close out the scoring.

Once again, Thornton praised the hard work, but stressed relaxation

for his players, who only shot 38 percent from the field (26 for 69).

“I don’t know how to coach relaxation,” Thornton said with a smile.

“My guess is that it’s the early-season jitters. Whatever it is, we need

to improve offensively and cut down on the turnovers.”

Melissa Lewis, who had eight points on 3 for 3 shooting. led the

Pirates with eight rebounds, while Steward and Erin Tomlinson each had

seven rebounds and six assists for the Bucs.

One of the key factors for the Bucs came off the bench, who outscored

the Mounties reserves, 23-8.

Mt. SAC was cold from the three-point stripe, shooting just 23 percent

(3 for 13), while OCC knocked down five from three-point land.

“I really liked the hard work out there,” Thornton said. “We are

putting in the effort, which is always good.”

Next up for the Pirates, they host Cerritos College Friday at 3:30

p.m.

NONLEAGUE

Orange Coast 73, Mt. San Antonio 60

Mt. San Antonio - Thomas 18, Gardner 10, Armstrong 12, Jackson 2,

Nelson 2, Duran 4, Dyche 12.

3-pt. goals - Thomas 3.

Fouled out - Armstrong.

Orange Coast - Masuda 6, Fierst 4, Steward 11, Akins 2, Tomlinson 4,

Wilde 11, Middlebrooke 16, Urban 11, Lewis 8.

3-pt. goals - Masuda 1, Fierst 1, Steward 1, Wilde 1, Urban 1.

Fouled out - none.

Halftime - OCC, 38-29.