Pirates fall to Falcons

COSTA MESA — The Orange Coast College women’s basketball team dropped its second straight game Monday, falling to visiting Cerritos, 74-63, in the third-place game of the Erin Tomlinson Coast Christmas Classic at OCC.

Sophomore Helena Robel scored a team-high 17 for the Pirates (11-4), ranked No. 10 in the state and No. 6 in Southern California. Robel, who made all seven of her field-goal attempts, including three three-pointers, added three assists and two steals. She was the Pirates’ lone all-tournament selection.

Cerritos, ranked No. 9 in the state and No. 7 in Southern California, made 22 of its 34 first-half field-goal attempts (64.7%) and finished with a 48-25 rebounding advantage to improve to 9-4.

Sophomore Amanda Deal had 12 points, including two of the Pirates’ 10 three-pointers, and she also led OCC with six rebounds.

OCC made seven of 12 from three-point range before halftime and finished 10 of 21 from threedom (47.6%).

But Cerritos rolled to a 54-37 first-half advantage and held on for the victory.

Sophomore Samantha Hansen had nine points and four rebounds for OCC, which is at the Ventura New Year’s Classic Dec. 28-30.

OCC opens Orange Empire Conference play Jan. 5 at Santa Ana.

Sophomore guard April Perry led Cerritos with 20 points. She netted 10 of 16 field-goal tries to earn all-tournament laurels.

Coast Christmas

Classic

Cerritos74

OCC63