Griffs drop tourney games to open
- Updated: November 8, 2021
2021 GROSSMONT COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
ECS staff report
EL CAJON —- When community college women’s basketball became a state-sanctioned sport for the 1977-78 school year, Grossmont College was joined by Mesa College at the forefront of the sport. Both schools were placed in the elite South Coast Conference — long before the present-day Pacific Coast Athletic Conference was created — facing elite programs from Los Angeles and Orange counties on a nightly basis.
Two of those programs — Fullerton (the first Southern California w champion) and Cerritos — were also charter members of the SCC. And both were in town over the weekend for a sort of “Turn Back the Clock” event when the Griffins hosted a crossover tournament with both schools, along with East Los Angeles College.
Although Grossmont was swept in its two contests, they showed the ability to compete and be a factor in the PCAC this year following a lost season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both contests saw similar results. On Friday (Nov.5), Cerritos topped the Griffins, 64-52. A night later (Nov. 6), Fullerton prevailed, 68-58.
In Game 1 against the Falcons, Grossmont held a 27-20 halftime lead, but a 27-point rally in the third quarter gave the guests a slight lead, then they held on to win.
For the G-House, guard-forward Elisabeth Beesley (San Diego HS) registered a season-opening double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Against the hornets, Beasley again led the way with 19 points and seven boards. Meanwhile, Lilian Akintonde (ECVHS) added 9 points and 6 rebounds.
This week, Grossmont (0-2) will participate in the Riverside Tournament.
Elsewhere, Cuyamaca College was scheduled to return women’s basketball to the school, but its slated game at Southwestern College was not reported.
The Coyotes are now coached by former Cuyamaca men’s basketball standout Marc Carter.
Southwestern 77, Cuyamaca 43
CHULA VISTA —- Through Wednesday (Nov. 10), there are nine CCCAA teams with 3-0 marks to start the season, seven of those in Northern California. The South Region ballclubs are East Los Angeles, which won the Grossmont College crossover tournament, and College of the Canyons.
However, only one school in California is off to a surprising 4-0 start.
Southwestern College is that club following a 77-43 over Cuyamaca in the Coyotes’ first game in nearly a decade after dropping the sport. Even though these ballclubs are Pacific Coast Athletic Conference rivals, this was a non-conference affair.
The Jaguars mounted a 40-23 halftime advantage then breezed in the second half.
Danalia Brown (Olympian HS) powered Southwestern with a game-best 25 points off 11-for-15 shooting in dominating the paint, while teammate Lynette Garon (Otay Ranch) posted 21.
Scoring for Cuyamaca (0-1) was not reported.
Southwestern doesn’t play again until Dec. 10, hosting Victor Valley, then not play for another month in its PCAC opener, also at home, against Imperial Valley on Jan. 5 — that’s one game in 55 days.
Cuyamaca will next play in this weekend’s West Los Angeles College Tournament in Culver City.
