Women’s Basketball: OCC trio named first-team all-conference

Orange Coast College sophomore Sami Little and freshman Chyann Pendergrass have been named first-team All-Orange Empire Conference in women’s basketball.

OCC freshman Jenna Rodriguez was a second-team selection.

Little, a 5-6 wing, averaged 12.5 points, six rebounds, a team-best 2.4 steals and 2.4 assists to help the Pirates finish the regular season at 15-13, 6-6 in conference. Coach Mike Thornton’s Pirates finished tied for fourth in the OEC and earned an at-large berth into the Southern California Regional playoffs.

Pendergrass, a 5-4 point guard, averaged 10.9 points, a team-best 5.3 assists and 3.4 rebounds per contest in the regular season.

Rodriguez, a 5-11 post player, led the team with 13.4 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in the regular season. She also shot a team-best 48.8% from the field.

Santa Ana College freshman Blaysen Varnadoe was named Player of the Year, while Margaret Mohr, who guided Cypress to the conference title, was named Coach of the Year.

— Barry Faulkner