Bucs’ Ricks, Parks prove tall order for Santa Ana

Inside tandem combines for 33 points, 23 rebounds in 59-54 OCC win.SANTA ANA -- Madison Parks came within one rebound of joining teammate Jillian Ricks with a double-double Friday.

But there was no denying the Orange Coast College women’s basketball duo proved to be a double whammy for the Pirates in a 59-54 Orange Empire Conference win over Santa Ana.

Ricks, a 6-foot-1 power forward, finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds in 27 minutes for OCC (26-4, 10-2 in conference), which remained tied for first place with two Orange Empire games remaining. OCC plays at Irvine Valley on Wednesday and home against Fullerton on Friday.

Parks, a 6-3 center, collected 17 points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes. Ricks blocked three shots and Parks blocked two.

The inside size advantage proved crucial for the Pirates, who took advantage of a Santa Ana starting lineup with only one player taller than 5-7.

The Pirates, ranked No. 4 in Southern California and No. 7 in the state, consistently found the mismatch. Ricks and Parks combined to make 14 of 24 field-goal attempts (58.3%).

The other six OCC players were a combined 7 of 25 from the field (28%).

Santa Ana (15-13, 6-6) also had difficulty matching up with the Pirates’ zone defense, a ploy dictated, Thornton said, as much by OCC’s depleted roster as the Dons’ suspect perimeter shooting.

“We’ve had to completely change our defensive philosophy because of injuries and illnesses,” Thornton said.

Santa Ana -- coached by former OCC standout Flo Luppani, who is now 0-4 against her former school -- shot 27.9% for the game (19 of 68). The Dons made 9 of 36 three-point attempts.

Seven of Santa Ana’s three-pointers came in the second half, helping the hosts stay within striking distance.

Striking distance appeared to vanish after the Pirates opened the second half with a 9-0 run and held the Dons without a field goal for nearly the first 5 1/2 minutes after intermission.

Santa Ana closed to within 50-46 with 2:06 left and within 55-51 with 27 seconds remaining, but OCC held on.

Valerie Katayama had 10 points and five assists for OCC, which was boosted by Meghan Maxwell’s seven points off the bench.

Akiah Hunter, the conference’s leading scorer, led the Dons with 18 points.

Orange Empire Conference

Orange Coast 59,

Santa Ana 54

Score by Halves