OCC eclipses Comets

COSTA MESA — Coaches aren’t typically glass-half-full types, so when Orange Coast College women’s basketball coach Mike Thornton scanned the box score following his team’s 63-55 season-opening nonconference victory over visiting Palomar Wednesday, it was a wonder he could still muster a smile.

The tabulations showed a combined 59 turnovers, 74 missed field-goal attempts and enough sloppiness to add validity to the term mid-season form.

OCC shot 25.8% from the field (17 for 66), and 19.4% from three-point range (six of 31).

But, thanks to their defense, tenacity, and the half-court improvisation of Courtney Ford, a first-team all-state performer who was also the Orange Empire Conference MVP last season, the Pirates managed to prevail.

No more than a few sentences into the postgame discussion, however, Thornton’s attention quickly turned to Friday night’s Mt. San Antonio College Tournament opener against the host school, the defending state champion.

“We’re going to get killed by Mt. SAC,” said Thornton, who identified making shots as the No. 1 area in which his players need to improve. “We’re going to have to find somebody else [other than Ford] who can score.”

Ford had that department covered against the Comets. The 5-foot-7 guard bound for Mercer University, accounted for 24 of the Pirates’ 34 second-half points, hitting six of 12 field-goal attempts and 11 of 15 free throws.

After Palomar pared a 41-19 second-half deficit to a workable 52-41 disadvantage with 3:43 left in the game, Ford almost single-handedly battled the defense and the shot clock, operating in clearouts from the top of the key after OCC had withered some time off of each possession.

Ford’s strong second half came after she was just three of 12 from the field in the first 20 minutes, when OCC used four three-pointers and some suffocating defensive pressure to take control of the game that began tenuously for the hosts.

Palomar led, 14-9, when Thornton called timeout with 9:10 remaining and got his message across. What followed was a stretch of nearly seven minutes in which Palomar produced 10 turnovers and no points.

OCC, meanwhile, scored 15 straight points and finished the half on a 20-2 run to seize a 29-16 edge at the break. Palomar went the last 11:13 of the first half and the first 1:15 of the second half without a field goal.

OCC sophomore Erin Barney had 11 first-half points, including three three-pointers in four attempts, to help the hosts establish command.

Ford finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds and six steals and her 37.5% field-goal shooting was matched among teammates only by Barney, who wound up three for eight. The remaining Pirates shot 14.7% (five of 34) from the field.

Palomar had 38 turnovers and a 47-40 rebounding edge.

OCC’s last field goal came with 8:38 left.

Nonconference

Orange Coast 63, Palomar 55

Palomar – Boone 15, Haley 6, Gonzalez 23, Simmons 2, Girten 7, Marquardt 2.

3-pt. goals - Gonzalez 3, Girten 1.

Fouled out – Simmons, Hurd.

OCC – Schmidt 3, Ford 31, Ibbotson 3, Kissee 6, Maulit 1, Barney 11, Gomez 3, Wakamiya 3, Cargill 2.

3-pt. goals – Barney 3, Ford 1, Schmidt 1, Gomez 1.

Fouled out - Ibbotson.

Halftime – OCC, 29-16.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barry.faulkner@latimes.com.