Split vote on All-PCC MVP

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EL CAJON (2-19-07/REVISED 3-16-07) -- Pacific Coast Conference women's basketball coaches were split in their voting, selecting Palomar College forward Sabrina Gonzalez and Southwestern College center Karla Medina as co-players of the year.

Meanwhile, Grossmont placed center Megan Ehmke and forward Gabby Passentino on the first team, while Cuyamaca was represented by PCC scoring champion Brittany Daniel,who averaged 18.4 points per game entering the final week of the season.

Ehmke was the Griffins' leading scorer at 13.6 in PCC play, while Passentino was the team's top defender and rated among the rebounding leaders.

In addition, PCC champion Imperial Valley had no players voted to the all-conference team. No reasons were given for the omission.

UPDATE (3-16-07) -- On Wednesday (Mar. 14), PCC athletic directors voted to include three players from Impertial Valley College to the all-conference team. They are now included in the revised listing below.

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RANCHO SAN DIEGO (2-18-07) — It was a fine finish for coach JIM GLEBOFF and his Cuyamaca College Coyotes Saturday night (Feb. 17) before the home crowd.

Jim Gleboff

Jerry Parker

Trailing by as much as 16 points in the second half, the Coyotes suddenly caught fire and sprinted past visiting San City College, 67-63, in the Pacific Coast Conference finale for both teams.

“It was an exciting way to go out,” said Gleboff, whose Coyotes – thanks to two last minute forfeits by Los Angeles Pierce – concluded the season 10-18 overall.

The victory over the Knights gave Cuyamaca a 4-8 finish in the PCC – one game ahead of district rival Grossmont. It was the first time Cuyamaca has finished ahead of the Griffins in the PCC standings during their seven-year rivalry.

JAMAISA ALLEN, who boasts the top 3-point shooting percentage in the state, paced the Coyotes with 19 points, most of it coming on four triples. BRITTANY DANIEL added 14 points, and SAM MOHAN chipped in with 13 for Cuyamaca.

“When we were down by 16 I thought we’d had it,” Gleboff said. “(MICHELLE) THOMPSON picked up four fouls in the first half and had to sit for the first nine minutes of the second half. But once she got back into the game, she really went after them defensively.”

Gleboff also praised the defensive play of RAWAA PATROS.

“Patros set the tone for our defense,” Gleboff added.

Gleboff is officially stepping down as the Cuyamaca College women’s coach next week. It is expected that he will be replaced by current Granite Hills girls coach JERRY PARKER, who plans to coach both the Coyotes and the Eagles basketball teams simultaneously next winter.

“I think we’ve got something positive here now,” Gleboff said. “We already have some kids interested in coming into our program, and finishing ahead of Grossmont can only help our recruiting.

Palomar 81, Grossmont 51 -- Sabrina Gonzalez and Danielle Levasseur scored a game-high 21 points each, helping the visiting Comets gain a share of second place in the Pacific Coast Conference after whipping the Griffins.

Palomar (21-11, 9-3 PCC) needed some help to forge a 3-way tie for the PCC championship, but Imperial Valley stomped San Diego Mesa, 76-58, to capture its fourth consecutive title, posting a 10-2 PCC mark to top the Comets and Southwestern by one full game.

For Grossmont, center MEGAN EHMKE matched Palomar's large front line shot-for-shot, pacing the Griffins with team highs of 18 points, seven rebounds, five steals and two blocks. However, the hosts committed 35 turnovers to finish the season with a disappointing 8-game losing streak.

Prior to the contest, Grossmont head coach KAREN CAIRES honored the sophomores playing their last contest with the program, including TERI BAILEY, who scored 9 points, GABRIELA PASSENTINO (Santana HS) and the injured RUBY RAMOS.

By Jason Rogers, Assistant Sports Editor
Courtesy, Imperial Valley Press
IMPERIAL (2-15-07) -- Imperial Valley College didn’t feel much like celebrating at halftime of its women’s basketball game with Grossmont College on Wednesday.

By the end of the game, the IVC Arabs were in a much more cheerful mood — ready to celebrate their fourth consecutive Pacific Coast Conference crown following a 67-40 victory over Grossmont at the DePaoli Sports Complex.

“I feel like we’ve worked harder for this one,” said IVC co-coach Jill Tucker.

That was true of Wednesday’s game as well. The Arabs started slowly in the first half, unable to generate much offense. IVC, which averages 63 points per game, scored just 26 in the first half against the Grossmont Griffins.

“We weren’t happy with our performance,” Tucker said. “We were not trusting our offense.”

The Arabs did have a 26-15 lead, thanks largely to the outside shooting of Claire Zajdel and her sister Rachel Zajdel. The sisters combined for 18 of the team’s points in the half, including 15 in a row at one point. Almost all of the points came from behind the 3-point line; IVC hit five 3-pointers in the half, compared to just three field goals inside the arc.

IVC’s Sophia Perez, who spent much of the first half on the bench in foul trouble, said it was tough for her to rebound from Saturday’s game, a 60-59 loss to Palomar College that prevented IVC from claiming the conference title.

“That’s the game I really wanted,” Perez said.

Mi-Suk Lee finally kickstarted IVC’s offense in the second half. Her basket ignited a 9-0 run that put IVC up by 15 points, and she contributed five assists in a larger 25-11 spurt that put the game out of reach.

With a 20-point lead, the Arabs enjoyed the final few minutes and savored another conference title.

“Whenever you get a little cushion, everyone breathes easier,” Tucker said.

Perez, who missed the previous two Arab championships because of injuries, said she was thankful to be on the court for this one.

“I was glad we had such a big lead,” she said.

Elsewhere, Cuyamaca College had a bye, completing its season Saturday at San Diego City . Meanwhile, the Griffins, the losers of eight straight, close at home to Palomar on Saturday (Feb. 17). Both contests start at 7 p.m.

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EL CAJON (2-11-06) -- It may be a minor milestone for a pair of sub-.500 ballclubs, but Cuyamaca College had a chance to leap past district rival Grossmont in the Pacific Coast Conference standings for the first time ever. But the achievement will need to wait for another day.

Despite being tied at the half at 42-all Saturday (Feb. 10), the Coyotes fell to visiting Palomar, 85-76, at Cuyamaca.

BRITTANY DANIEL, the PCC scoring leader, paced Cuyamaca (7-20, 3-8 PCC) with 26 points. SAM MOHAN added 13, while RAWAA PATROS had 10.

Palomar (19-11, 7-3 PCC) busted loose in the second half, going on a 21-8 run after the intermission to take a 13-point lead with nine minutes remaining. The Comets rest in third place, a half-game behind Southwestern and a full game behind front-running Imperial Valley.

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RANCHO SAN DIEGO (2-8-07) -- Palomar College must've been looking forward to Saturday's encounter for the Pacific Coast Conference championship, which didn't sit too well with Cuyamaca College .

And the disrespected Coyotes did something about it.

BRITTANY DANIEL poured home 39 points -- the second-highest individual total in school history -- while MICHELLE THOMPSON scored five of her seven points in the final minute, helping Cuyamaca possibly derail the Comets' postseason plans, 81-77, in Wednesday's (Feb. 7) shocker.

Of late, there's seems to be an upset almost every day. Included was the Coyotes' second-ever triumph over Grossmont, while San Diego City collected its first PCC victory in recent days after going winless in all but one of 21 starts.

And with Palomar seemingly more concerned about anything but the current ballgame in front of them, Daniel led Cuyamaca's second-half charge from a 41-35 halftime deficit, scoring 25 of her points after the intermission.

"I'm proud of the entire team," said head coach JIM GLEBOFF. "When I got here, I was told to get the numbers up -- there wasn't much emphasis on winning."

Late in Gleboff's first season with the Coyotes, just like several programs he has coached around the world (including the national women's basketball team of Tahiti ), an unexpected turnaround occurred.

In the final minute, Thompson hit a 3-ball for a 76-75 lead with 55 seconds left. Palomar answered with a bucket, but Thompson scored on a putback after grabbing an important offensive rebound.

Daniel then sealed the triumph by going 3-for-4 at the foul line in the final 30 seconds. Along with her points, Daniel collected six assists, six steals and three steals.

Meanwhile, JAMAISA ALLEN, one of the state leaders in 3-point shooting, added six more treys for all of her 18 points in her late-run for a state statistical title.

Daniel's 39 points is a school mark against a community college opponent and a gym record for a women's contest. The official school mark was set by teammate RAWAA PATROS, who nailed 41 points as a freshman last season against Life Pacific College in San Dimas.

Southwestern 50, Grossmont 40 -- With possibilities for a playoff berth diminished, the Griffins went with a freshmen dominated lineup and gave the Jaguars a defensive tussle.

"It was a much better effort -- I was impressed with our freshmen," said Grossmont coach KAREN CAIRES. "That's a great sign for the future."

The defense was solid in limiting Southwestern to its second-lowest offensive output of the conference season. And when the Griffins offense finally got in gear, things got interesting down the stretch.

"We got the lead down to seven with about 2:40 to play," added Caires. "But we just ran out of time. It still was a great effort by our younger players."

Grossmont has the bye this weekend, then completes the season with a pair of contest next week, playing at PCC leading Imperial Valley Wednesday (Feb. 14) and hosting second-standing Palomar Saturday (Feb. 17). Both are at 7 p.m.

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EL CAJON (2-4-07) -- San Diego City College, which re-instituted women's basketball following a decade-long absence, was due to win its first conference contest eventually. But the Grossmont Griffins didn't figure they would be the first victim.

With neither team able to muster much offensively, it was Grossmont which committed the key turnovers down the stretch, allowing the Knights to escape with a 64-57 decision.

"We've worked hard to get this far," said SDCC head coach Tonya Alleyne. "The win may not mean much to anyone else, but for us, it means everything."

The game featured 15 lead changes and was tied nine times, including at 57-all with 2:45 remaining when Grossmont's ALI SMELSER took a nice feed from center MEGAN EHMKE for the layin.

However, the Knights' Pauline Kern answered with a short jumper with 1:46 to play, then City went 5-for-6 at the foul line in the final minute.

Grossmont had a chance to force overtime with a half-minute left and trailing 60-57. But a pair of faulty passes on consecutive possessions doomed the Griffins (9-17 overall, 3-6 PCC) to their sixth straight setback.

The only other triumph for San Diego City (2-20, 1-7) came against NCCAA member Life Pacific College, 88-49, back in Dec. 6. The win ended a 12-game drought.

Melissa Gaines led SDCC with 20 points, with 16 coming in the second half to pick up the slack after center Laura Mosqueda fouled out with 13:31 remaining. Gaines also collected five assists, while Calissa Fletcher scored 17 points.

Ehmke finished with a double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds. Guard KYLIE PITTS paced Grossmont with 13 points, while forward GABBY PASSENTINO posted 88 points and 9 boards. However, the Griffins shot just 30.0 percent from the floor, nullifying a 50-37 rebounding advantage.

San Diego Mesa 79, Cuyamaca 58 -- The Olympians continued its late playoff drive, utilizing three East County products to down the Coyotes.

JOY EDWARDS (Granite Hills) paced Mesa with 19 points, helping build a 21-4 lead out of the gate. ASHLEY SHEPPARD (Santana) added 18 points, while ASHLEY MILLER (Monte Vista) chipped in 17.

For the Coyotes, JAMAISA ALLEN registered a team-best 18 points. PCC scoring leader BRITTANY DANIEL was held to 14, while MICHELLE THOMPSON added 12.

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RANCHO SAN DIEGO (2-1-07) -- Imperial Valley College moved one step closer to a third consecutive Pacific Coast Conference championship after downing host Cuyamaca College, 68-56, at the Coyotes' gymnasium.

The triumph moved the Arabs (16-10 overall, 7-1 PCC) a full game ahead of Southwestern with four games remaining. Meanwhile, Cuyamaca (6-18, 2-6) saw its 2-game winning streak snapped.

The Coyotes were poised for another upset behind the shooting of guard JAMAISA ALLEN. The state's second-leading freshman in 3-point shooting was coming off a 5-for-5 performance against Grossmont, then made 3 of her first 4 treys against the Arabs to mount a 40-38 halftime lead.

But when Allen and the rest of the Coyotes' shooting dried up in the second half -- the Arabs outscored Cuyamaca 30-16 after the intermission -- Imperial Valley battled back for its sixth straight victory.

Allen finished with 14 points, while BRITTANY DANIEL added a team-best 17. In addition, RAWAA PATROS also registered double figures with 11 points, as all three Cuyamaca players hit three 3-balls each.

The Coyotes next travel to San Diego Mesa at 7 p.m. Saturday.

San Diego Mesa 73, Grossmont 58 -- It took two-thirds of the season for the Olympians to finally adjust their offense, but with the reins loosened, a pair of former East County high school standouts shined.

Allowing their playmakers to, well, make plays, JOY EDWARDS (Granite Hills) collected 15 points, while ASHLEY SHEPARD (Santana) added 14, allowing Mesa to snap a 6-game losing streak to the Griffins.

"That's the way I remember them playing in high school," said Grossmont head coach KAREN CAIRES. "They cut to the basket, shot well, made passes, and put a lot of pressure on our defense."

The victory allowed Mesa to salvage one game against the Griffins this season -- Grossmont captured the first two meetings, and have won seven of the last nine matchups.

MEGAN EHMKE paced the Griffins with 16 points, while BRIANNA BAKER and ALI SMELSER added nine each.

Grossmont hosts San Diego City College this Saturday at 7 p.m.

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SAN MARCOS (1-30-07) -- Former Santana High standout ASHLEY SHEPARD was named one of this week's Pacific Coast Conference female Athletes of the Week. Shepard shared the citation with San Diego City College fastpitch pitcher Natalie Garrett.

Shepard, a 5-9 sophomore forward, scored a season-high 17 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to help fifth-place Mesa College knock Palomar out of first place with a shocking 68-49 victory.

Honorable mention for the week went to basketball players GABBY PASSENTINO (Grossmont College), BRITTANY DANIEL (Cuyamaca College) and ASHLEY MILLER (Mesa College/ Monte Vista HS).

Passentino, a 5-8 sophomore forward from Santana High, registered game-highs of 27 points and 11 rebounds against Cuyamaca. Daniel countered with 23 points to lead the Coyotes to their second-ever victory over the Griffins. It was Daniel's second PCC award of the season.

Grossmont's Gabby Passentino (42) and Alexis Bertelsen double-team Cuyamaca's Brittany Daniel. (Photo by Frank Gregorek)

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EL CAJON (1-28-07) -- It took longer than anticipated, yet Cuyamaca College achieved a major breakthrough Saturday (Jan. 27). In their 7th season of play, the Coyotes finally defeated intradistrict rival Grossmont for the second-time ever, snapping a 67-67 deadlock by pulling away late to shock the host Griffins, 84-76, in Pacific Coast Conference action.

Cuyamaca guard BRITTANY DANIEL, despite being slowed by symptoms of the flu, scored seven of her team-high 23 points in the final two minutes, while JAMAISA ALLEN drained a long 3-point shot to snap the tie with 3:39 remaining to send the Coyotes on to their historical victory.

"The team didn't quit and scrapped," said Cuyamaca coach JIM GLEBOFF. "And we got a lot of shots to fall."

The Coyotes saw a 39-30 halftime lead disappear when Grossmont exploded out of the locker room and posted a 17-1 run to zoom in front, 47-40. All eight baskets were converted on layins, including three by GABBY PASSENTINO, and another for a 3-point play by ALEXIS BERTLESEN.

And when Cuyamaca's MICHELLE THOMPSON, the team's lone inside threat, fouled out a few minutes later, any hopes for a Coyotes comeback seemingly were dashed.

"Grossmont's obviously more of an inside type team than we are, so it looked pretty bleak," added Gleboff.

So Cuyamaca went back to what gave them the first-half lead: shooting the 3-point shot.

After converting seven treys in the first half, Daniel started a 15-7 run to tie the game by stepping back off a Grossmont defender to sink a 19-footer. The Coyotes also utilized their speed advantage to simply drive the lane to start a long parade to the foul line, going 16-for-19 on free throws in the second half.

Now trailing 78-71, Griffins guard LA TASHA DOWELL mimicked Cuyamaca with a driving layin while being fouled for a 3-point play with 20 seconds left, then a turnover led to another Dowell layin with 11 seconds remaining to trim the lead to 78-76.

However, Cuyamaca scored six points in the final 10 seconds to register perhaps the biggest victory in the program's history. First, SAM MOHAN, one of five Coyotes to score in double figures, sank two free throws. Then Daniel scored four quick points, two on her steal of an inbounds pass, then two more on a layin at the buzzer off a Mohan steal.

For the contest, Cuyamaca drained 12 treys, including five by Allen (19 points). RAWAA PATRTOS added 11 points, while Mohan and ALLISON MERCER had 10 each.

Passentino finished with a double-double with a career-high 27 points to compliment 11 rebounds. Included were 11 points from the foul line in a closely-called ballgame by the referees.

Bertlesen added 15 points for the Griffins, while Dowell posted 11 points and six assists.

The other Coyotes victory came in 2003.

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RANCHO SAN DIEGO (1-25-07) -- The Cuyamaca College women's basketball team ended a 9-game drought by matching its biggest victory of the season. The Coyotes built a lead which reached 37 points to dissolve visiting San Diego City College, 82-52, in Wednesday's (Jan. 24) Pacific Coast Conference affair between the circuit's remaining winless teams.

Earlier, Cuyamaca (5-17 overall, 1-5 PCC) downed Victor Valley by a similar 30-point margin, 88-58.

BRITTANY DANIEL poured home 14 of her game-high 23 points in the first half, as the Coyotes mounted a 48-25 halftime lead. The margin reached 78-41 before the Knights gained several concession baskets in the final minutes.

JAMAISA ALLEN gunned four 3-point shots to finish one point shy of her season best by collecting 20 points. Sophomore MICHELLE THOMPSON ( El Cajon Valley ) added 17.

"It was a good, balanced effort by everyone on the team," said head coach JIM GLEBOFF. "We scouted City on Saturday and were a bit worried because they've stayed close to every team in conference for at least a half."

Indeed, although City has yet to break through with a conference victory, only once had the Knights trailed by double-digit figures against PCC opposition. However, the improving Cuyamaca defense stopped everyone on the Knights except Laura Mosqueda (Hoover HS), who scored 14 of her team-best 22 point before the intermission.

SDCC (1-19, 0-6) played the game without the aid of head coach Tonya Alleyne, who needed to travel to the East Coast due to an illness in her family.

Palomar 98, Grossmont 61 -- The Griffins allowed what is believed to be a school-record 59 points in the first half Wednesday (Jan. 24), as the host Comets grabbed a 3-way share of the Pacific Coast Conference lead by whipping Grossmont at Palomar Dome.

Palomar (17-9 overall, 5-1 PCC) sits on top of the conference with Imperial Valley, which nipped Mesa 55-54, and idle Southwestern. The Griffins are next in fourth place.

The Comets backcourt burned Grossmont all night, as guard Danielle Levasseur paced the Comets with 24 points, including four 3-point goals, while former Carlsbad High point guard Sabrina Gonzalez added 21, as Palomar drained 10 treys for the contest.

Reserve forward ALI SMELSER was the lone Grossmont player to score in double figures with 11. DALIA GHANDOUR and MEGAN EHMKE were next with seven points each.

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EL CAJON (1-21-07) -- The reason was apparent to all. The Grossmont Griffins held destiny in their own hands in an attempt to upend three-time defending Pacific Coast Conference champion Imperial Valley College, but the team traveled too far on the wrong path.

Traveled as in too many traveling violations, as unforced errors were in the difference in allowing the visiting Arabs to escape with a 63-56 victory in Saturday's (Jan. 20) pairing of teams entering the contest in a 3-way deadlock for second place with Palomar.

"We started the game with four turnovers -- all on traveling -- and missed two wide open shots," lamented Grossmont coach KAREN CAIRES. "I'm not upset with the team's effort, I'm just upset we haven't displayed a lot of improvement in taking care of the basketball."

The early display of skips, hops and 2-steps allowed Imperial Valley (13-10 overall, 4-1 PCC) to grab an early 12-2 lead. And even though the Griffins fought back to take the lead three different times before the half ended, the turnover bug -- a conference-high 32 of them -- doomed the Griffins to drop 1 1/2 games behind first-place Southwestern.

A trio of Arabs -- Claire Zajdel, MiSuk Lee and Sophia Perez -- each scored 14 points for game honors, while Brionnah Bell added six points and an amazing 19 rebounds.

"It was like every ball came right to her," noted IVC coach Jill Tucker. "Either she got the ball, or Grossmont gave it to us with turnovers. We didn't shoot very well, so we're happy to go home with the win."

Imperial Valley shot just 27 percent (21-for-78) from the floor. However, the Arabs released 21 more shots thanks to a plus-14 turnover differential and 23 offensive rebounds.

Grossmont (9-13, 3-2) trailed only 32-28 at the half, even though the Griffins' starting front line were limited to just a single basket in the paint. However, forward GABBY PASSENTINO helped keep the hosts close in the first half, grabbing nine rebounds, hitting a 3-ball and getting to the foul line several times.

Grossmont was led in scoring by ALEXIS BERTELSEN, who collected a team-high 12 points plus eight boards. Passentino finished with seven points and 12 boards.

KYLIE PITTS led the defense with five steals to go along with her 11 points and four assists, while center MEGAN EHMKE collected all of her eight points in the second half. Ehmke also recorded nine rebounds, as the battle of the boards finished level at 53 for each team.

The Griffins complete the first round of conference play Wednesday (Jan. 24) at Palomar. The team returns home next Saturday against intradistrict rival Cuyamaca. The Coyotes had the bye this weekend.<

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CHULA VISTA (1-18-07) -- For the third straight outing, Cuyamaca College slipped behind by double digits before finally scoring, falling Wednesday (Jan.17) at Southwestern College, 81-60. The victory moved the host Jaguars into first place in the Pacific Coast Conference.

"We're just not a fast-starting team," noted Coyotes coach JIM GLEBOFF. "First, we fell behind 13-0 to Mesa, then 17-0 to Palomar, then tonight by 12 points -- it's obviously not a good way to start."

Cuyamaca (4-17 overall, 0-5 PCC) welcomed the return of team scoring leader BRITANY DANIEL, who scored 22 points. However, the quick deficit by a dozen soon expanded to a 46-27 hole by halftime.

"Southwestern is one of the biggest teams we've faced all season, so they had their way on the boards," added the coach.

The Jaguars (8-12 overall), who received a game-high 33 points from Karla Medina, moved to 4-1 in PCC play, with three teams -- Grossmont, Palomar and Imperial Valley -- all in a log jam a half-game back at 3-1.

JAMAISA ALLEN posted 16 points for Cuyamaca, which dropped its ninth straight contest. The Coyotes have a bye this weekend, next hosting San Diego City next Wednesday (Jan. 24) at 7 p.m.

Grossmont had a bye Wednesday. The Griffins can reclaim a share of first place on Saturday (Jan. 20) when they host Imperial Valley at 7 p.m.

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SAN MARCOS (1-16-07) -- Cuyamaca College guard MICHELLE THOMPSON was tabbed an honorable mention selection among the Pacific Coast Conference athletes of the week for the period ending Sunday (Jan. 14).

Thompson, a 5-7 sophomore out of El Cajon Valley High School, recorded a double-double in a 75-68 setback to San Diego Mesa with 10 points and 10 rebounds. She was the one bright spot for the Coyotes against first-place Palomar, grabbing 16 rebounds and also gaining three steals.

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EL CAJON (1-14-07) -- Southwestern College center Nicole Anderson scored 20 of her game-high 28 points in the first half, as the Jaguars raced to a 53-24 lead at the intermission to paste host Grossmont College, 73-54, in Saturday's (Jan. 13) featured Pacific Coast Conference contest.

The setback drops the Griffins out of first place and into a second-place tie with Southwestern, as Palomar, a 74-45 victor over Cuyamaca (See below) assumes leadership of the conference.

The only thing which stopped Anderson were flu-like symptoms in the second half, but Jags teammate Danielle Garrett took over to halt a Grossmont comeback. The rally saw the Griffins moved to within six points with under three minutes remaining, but Southwestern (7-12 overall, 3-1 PCC) scored the game's final 13 points.

Grossmont opened slowly, mustered just eight baskets in the first half. However, center MEGAN EHMKE scored most of her 13 points in the second half to make it a contest. ALEXIS BERTELSEN added 10 points for the Griffins (9-12, 3-1).

Palomar 74, Cuyamaca 45 -- The Comets gained sole possession of first place in the Pacific Coast Conference after racing to a quick 17-0 advantage to paste the Coyotes at Palomar Dome.

Cuyamaca played without leading scorer BRITTANY DANIEL due to injury, leaving the offense scrambling -- the Coyotes made just 5-of-45 shots (11 percent) in the opening 20 minutes to trail 37-13 at the break.

RAWAA PATROS led Cuyamaca (4-16, 0-4) with 13 points.

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RANCHO SAN DIEGO (1-11-07) -- The lack of depth cost Cuyamaca College another basketball game. Holding a 12-point halftime lead, the Coyotes ran out of gas down the stretch and fell to San Diego Mesa, 75-68, in a battle of teams entering the contest winless in Pacific Coast Conference action.

Cuyamaca built a 40-28 lead at the intermission, when RAWAA PATROS scored 16 of her 18 points. In addition, BRITTANY DANIEL scored a game-high 28 points. But when the Coyotes' starting five started to run out of gas, Mesa finally came on to win for the first time in three appearances against East County ballclubs.

"They were really energetic in the second half," said Cuyamaca coach JIM GLEBOFF. "And JOY EDWARDS led the charge."

Edwards, a Granite Hills High product, posted disappointing performances in a pair of losses to Grossmont over the past two weeks. And she only had three points at the half in Wednesday's (Jan. 10) outing. However, the freshman guard scored 14 points in the second half, while Monte Vista High alum ASHLEY MILLER scored all of her 15 points after the intermission to help the Olympians escape the basement.

Grossmont 67, San Diego City 59 -- The Griffins remained in first place with their third consecutive conference victory without a setback in defeating the host Knights at Harry West Gymnasium. No information was reported by the Griffins coaching staff.

Grossmont hosts Southwestern on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Grossmont sophomore Gabby Passentino releases a shot over Mesa's Joy Edwards. (Photo by Frank Gregorek)

Additional Photos HERE

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EL CAJON (1-7-07) -- In a game of incredible streaks, Grossmont College ultimately sank 17-of-18 foul shots in the second half, then survived two missed shots in the final four seconds to edge San Diego Mesa, 64-63, in Saturday's (Jan. 6) dramatic Pacific Coast Conference contest.

Unlike last week's San Diego Realty-Grossmont Holiday Tournament game between the ballclubs, which saw the Griffins waltz to a 25-point blowout victory, the Olympians were all business on this occasion. However, a foul shot by ALEXIS BERTELSEN with 50.4 seconds remaining proved to be the difference in a hard-played yet sloppy outing.

"I'd rather have the team learn through winning any day," said Grossmont coach KAREN CAIRES. "There were a lot of mistakes made, but we overcame a lot to come out on top."

Both sides exhibited moments of plain ugly basketball, especially the Griffins to open play, displaying a hangover from Thursday's loss to Siskiyous by scoring just two baskets in the first 10 minutes to trail, 15-4. Yet just as suddenly, Grossmont looked like world-beaters by eliminating the deficit and taking a surprising 30-28 halftime lead on a jump shot by LA TASHA DOWELL.

"We finally got our ball reversal going and found our open shooters," added Caires.

Grossmont opened the second half on a 14-0 run, eventually mounting a 17-point lead at 46-29 with 14:43 remaining before another polar shift occurred. The light switch turned to off by the Griffins' press-break offense, as Mesa went on runs of 10-0 and 9-0 to grab a 57-56 lead with 5:16 to go, capped by ASHLEY MILLER's (Monte Vista)drive to the basket.

The lead switched two more times before Dowell stood her ground on defense and took a charge, as Mesa's Lauren Carter was called for the offensive foul. Grossmont nailed four foul shots for a 63-58 lead, but Whitney Berg scored on a putback, then KELSEY ASH hit her sixth 3-ball to knot the game at 63-all with 1:23 remaining.

Ash, a Santana High product, finished with a game-high 22 points while playing in front of her old high school coach, WADE VICKERY, who was in attendance along with members of his family.

Grossmont center MEGAN EHMKE, who scored a team-high 17 points and grabbed all of her 12 rebounds in the second half, was credited with her final board by jumping above two Mesa defenders and tapping the ball back to Bertelsen for an offensive board.

Bertelsen took the ball to the basket, but was fouled. She sank her first foul shot, but missed the second -- Grossmont's lone missed free throw of the half.

However, Mesa committed a turnover, but they got the ball back with 12 seconds left for one last chance to steal a victory. The Olympians missed on an 18-footer which hit the front of the rim, then a baseline jumper just before the buzzer flew five feet beyond the basket, giving the Griffins their sixth straight victory over Mesa in the county's longest and oldest continuous rivalry.

KYLIE PITTS scored eight of her 15 points late in the first half to aid Grossmont's early rally. Dowell finished with 10 points and six assists, while GABBY PASSENTINO posted 9 points, 11 boards and also took a charge. Passentino topped all Grossmont foul shooters by going 7-for-7, as the team went a sizzling 22-for-25 (88 percent) at the line.

For Mesa, ASHLEY SHEPARD (Monte Vista) collected 10 points, while JOY EDWARDS (Granite Hills), who hit just 4-of-19 shots in last week's meeting, again finished with a disappointing 2-for-9 effort for four points and eight turnovers. The Olympians are tied for last place with Cuyamaca.

Imperial Valley 69, Cuyamaca 53 -- One comeback was in the offering, but a second failed to materialize, allowing the host Arabs to grab their first Pacific Coast Conference triumph of the season over the Coyotes.

Imperial Valley (10-10 overall, 1-1 PCC) came out of the gate blazing to a 15-0 lead, but Cuyamaca (4-14, 0-2) trimmed the margin to 34-30 by halftime. SAM MOHAN paced the Coyotes with 16 points.

PCC Honors -- Grossmont basketball player MEGAN EHMKE was named the Pacific Coast Conference female athlete this week. Ehmke, a 6-1 freshman center from West Hills High School, scored 24 points, hauled down 11 rebounds and blocked seven shots to the Griffins’ 65-64 win over Golden West. The Griffins went on to take third place in their 19th Annual Holiday Tournament.

© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (1-5-07) -- Poor scheduling dynamics and meeting one of the top programs in California led to an extremely long evening for the Grossmont College women's basketball team.

One day following an emotional victory over Cuyamaca, their crosstown rivals -- and in the conference opener to boot -- the Griffins were man-handled by 6th-ranked College of the Siskiyous, 99-25, in Thursday's (Jan. 4) non-conference game at Grossmont.

The Eagles raced to an astounding 59-13 halftime lead, racing to leads of 29-4 and 43-5 in the first half by hitting 20-of-38 shots (53 percent) from the floor before the intermission.

The lone bright spot for the Griffins (7-11) was center MEGAN EHMKE, who hit her first three shots en route to team highs of 10 points and nine rebounds.

For Siskiyous (15-1), Katie Pollak had team highs of 17 points and eight rebounds, while guard Kristi Arness collected 13 points and seven assists. Also scoring 13 points for the Eagles were Natasha Robinson and Karlee Myers.

Grossmont returns to conference action Saturday (Jan. 6), hosting San Diego Mesa at 7 p.m.

© East County Sports.com
RANCHO SAN DIEGO (1-4-07) -- Grossmont College center MEGAN EHMKE dropped-in her first six shots and 9-of-10 in the first half for 19 of her game-high 28 points, as the Griffins survived a battle of contrasting styles to outlast intradistrict rival Cuyamaca College, 77-70, in Wednesday's (Jan. 3) Pacific Coast Conference opener for both ballclubs.

The teams' differences made life difficult on the defensive end of the court, as Grossmont poured the ball to the low post all night against the diminutive Coyotes.

Cuyamaca, which prefers pushing the ball up the court because of its lack of size, received 16 points from PCC scoring leader BRITTANY DANIEL. But when Grossmont forward GABBY PASSENTINO stood her ground in the paint and took a charge on Daniel, the Coyotes' guard fouled out with 8:08 remaining.

Cuyamaca's RAWAA PATROS answered with a 3-ball to tie the contest at 57-all with 7:26 remaining, but Grossmont then closed the contest on a 20-13 run with the Coyotes' top scoring threat on the bench. JAMAISA ALLEN paced Cuyamaca with 21 points.

Ehmke received passes to the post from four different players during her scoring streak, including a series of three straight baskets to push the Griffins in front, 19-18, midway through the first half. The advantage stretched to 31-23 before the half ended at 39-30, as Grossmont shot a solid 65 percent (17-for-26) from the floor.

However, Cuyamaca charged back to take the lead.

Daniels was fouled on a driving layin for a 3-point play, SAM MOHAN stole the ball and scored on a breakaway layin, then Allen drained a 3-ball on an 8-0 run for a 48-47 lead. Grossmont reclaimed the lead with four of Passentino's 12 points, then KYLIE PITTS hit a short jumper, as forward ALEXIS BERTELSEN registered two of her career-high seven assists.

Daniels then collected two fouls over a 53-second span, the second when Passentino held her ground on defense to directly change the teams' fortunes. Despite Patros' game-tying trey, Grossmont went on a 9-0 run to seal the victory, giving the Griffins (7-10 overall) four victories in their last five outings. Cuyamaca fell to 4-13.

Ehmke finished with a double-double by also grabbing 14 rebounds, giving Grossmont the advantage on the boards, 46-32. Pitts also added six assists and matched Mohan with a game-best four steals.

© East County Sports.com
RANCHO SAN DIEGO (1-1-07) -- Cuyamaca College remained in contention following a brief power outage on offense, trailing visiting Lassen College by six points at halftime in the state's lone community college women's basketball game on New Year's Eve.

But when the defense faltered to open the second half, the Cougars from Susanville were able to score on six of their first seven possessions, pulling away for a 81-65 non-conference decision.

With balanced scoring, Lassen placed five different players into double-digit figures, including 18 points by Indesha Chatman, while forward Lu Gurrola, the reigning Golden Valley Conference MVP, registered a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Cuyamaca (4-12) broke the Lassen press to assume a 22-20 lead when IEISHA SMITH took a JAMAISA ALLEN pass to score on a layin. The Cougars switched defenses and removed the full-court pressure, but the Coyotes half-court offense went to sleep, allowing Lassen to go on a 10-2 over a 7:18 span.

The Cougars then hit 19-of-35 shots (54.2 percent) in the second half, including five of their first six attempts, sending Cuyamaca (4-12) to its fourth straight setback.

BRITTANY DANIEL paced the Coyotes with 19 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and five steals, but eight turnovers by the guard resulted to 12 easy transition points for Lassen.

Allen added 12 points and four assists. However, Lassen's play-making ability resulted in 25 assists on its 32 baskets, leaving the Coyotes chasing all contest.

Cuyamaca completes its 3-game homestand with the Pacific Coast Conference opener Wednesday (Jan. 3), entertaining cross-district rival Grossmont (6-10) at 7 p.m.

Thursday's Scores Mesa 73, Compton 49 Saddleback 64, Mt. San Jacinto 44 Grossmont 65, Golden West 64 Bakersfield 59, Citrus 53 Friday's Scores Consolation Mt. San Jacinto 76, Compton 54 Citrus 57, Golden West 45 Semifinals Saddleback 57, Mesa 49 Bakersfield 84, Grossmont 58 Saturday's Scores Mt. San Jacinto 60, Citrus 44 (consolation) Grossmont 73, San Diego Mesa 48 (third) Saddleback 82, Bakersfield 63 (championship)

© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (12-31-06) -- In what Grossmont College hopes is an early indication of next week's conference match-up, the Griffins gained if nothing else the psychological advantage over Pacific Coast Conference rival San Diego Mesa College after mauling the Olympians, 73-48, in Saturday's (Dec. 30) third-place game at the 19th annual San Diego Realty-Grossmont Holiday Tournament.

Saddleback captured the tournament by upsetting state-ranked Bakersfield, 82-63, while defending champion Mt. San Jacinto easily took the consolation title over Citrus, 60-44.

Running their offense to near perfection, Grossmont shot just a tick short of 50 percent from the field, while the defense limited Mesa to just 23 percent shooting, including 9-for-41 shooting by the Olympians' three main shooting guards.

"We were extremely patient on offense and we got good shots almost every possession -- it was easily our best game of the year," said pleased head coach KAREN CAIRES. "We handled Mesa's trap and press, then got good looks at the basket all night long."

And the balanced scoring came throughout the lineup.

Point guard KYLIE PITTS paced the Griffins with 18 points, while forward GABRIELA PASSENTINO scored nine of her 16 points in then opening 13 minutes, lifting Grossmont to a 23-14 advantage. Passentino also added of seven rebounds and three blocked shots, gaining a berth on the all-tournament team.

When Mesa adjusted and tightened its coverage on Passentino in the second half, Griffins center MEGAN EHMKE took over in the paint. Ehmke hit four straight close-range shots, including one for a 3-point play after getting fouled, for her nine points to expand the lead to a massive 25-point margin at 51-26 with 14:06 remaining.

Meanwhile, developing reserve forward MORGAN SURRATT posted her best outing of her collegiate career. She registered a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, the difference in Grossmont's 49-39 rebounding edge.

"You look at every player on our team, and each one made some sort of positive contribution," added Caires.

An over-looked aspect to the Griffins was their post defense, which limited Mesa to just seven baskets in the paint, as Ehmke and Passentino received valuable assistance from BRINNA BAKER, ALEXIS BERTELSEN and LIZ RIEDEL.

The Olympians (7-8), which feature four starters out of East County high schools, saw JOY EDWARDS (Granite Hills) as the lone player to score in double figures with 18 points.

However, with Grossmont's defense in deny mode all contest, Mesa collected a mere five assists all ballgame. Meanwhile, five different Griffins passed for three or more assists each.

In the championship game, Saddleback guard Cassie Klockgether (Montgomery High) recorded a double-double with 20 points and 10 assists, gaining tournament MVP honors after leading the Gauchos (10-3) to its upset of Bakersfield (15-4).

Kelsey Paopao (El Camino High) also gained an all-tournament berth after tallying 19 points on 7-for-10 outside shooting, including a pair of 3-balls. For Bakersfield, guards Amber Williams (22 points, 6 assists) and Taylor Abercrombie also were tabbed all-tournament, joining Britney Iredale (16 points, 5 assists) of Mt. San Jacinto.

© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (12-30-06) -- It was the best half of basketball by Grossmont College all season.

Taking on state-ranked Bakersfield College in the semifinals of the 19th annual San Diego Realty-Grossmont Holiday Tournament, the Griffins hung tough over the first 20 minutes, trailing only 35-32 to the Renegades at the intermisison.

However, Bakersfield played perhaps its best basketball during the second half on Friday (Dec. 29), as the class difference was enough to send the'Gades to the tournament championship game after downing Grossmont, 84-56.

Bakersfield will meet Saddleback in Saturday's 5 p.m. title game. The Gauchos advanced after racing to a huge first-half lead, then staved off San Diego Mesa, 57-49. Mesa and Grossmont will play for third place at 3 p.m., following the 1 p.m. consolation contest between Citrus and Mt. San Jacinto.

Grossmont's frontline played even with the bigger Renegades in the opening minutes.

On offense, inside passes by GABBY PASSENTINO led to four assists on close-range shots, while drives by LA TASHA DOWELL were good for three straight baskets. And when guard KYLIE PITTS drained a pair of 3-point shots, the inspired Griffins finished the first half shooting a tick short of 50 percent from the field.

Meanwhile, the defense limited Bakersfield to just 30 percent shooting. Included were seven blocked shots by the Griffins in the opening 20 minutes (a season-high 12 blocks for the contest), while center MEGAN EHMKE dominated the boards with seven rebounds.

"That was the best half we've played all season," said Grossmont coach KAREN CAIRES. "I just wish we were able to keep playing that way. Bakersfield never tried to press us or do anything differently on defense, but we were just unable to maintain our intensity."

Bakersfield bounced back thanks to guard Amber Williams, who scored 13 of her game-hgih 16 points in the second half. Williams shot a perfect 4-for-4 on field goals, 5-for-5 from the line, plus five assists to receive contributions from all of her teammates over the final 20 minutes. She finished with a game-best seven assists by gaining penetration inside on the Griffins.

Dowell, who scored the game-winning shot at the buzzer to shock Golden West in the opening round, paced Grossmont (5-10) with 11 points and six steals, as 11 different players scored for the Griffins' balanced attack. On defense, ALI SMELSER and BRIONNA BAKER blocked four shots each.

Bakersfield (15-3) saw four players score in double figures. Following Williams, Taylor Abercrombie downed 5-of-7 shots for her 15 points, center LaShay Bagsby added 14 and forward Joshi Neha had 11.

Butte 85, Cuyamaca 65 -- BRITTANY DANIEL scored 18 points for the Coyotes (4-11) in their home-court loss to the state-ranked opponents from Chico.

© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (12-29-06) -- One of the few benefits of Grossmont College's recent 8-game losing streak was gaining a never-say-die attitude. And the trait carried its full weight in Thursday's (Dec. 28) feature contest in the opening round of the 19th annual San Diego Realty-Grossmont Holiday Tournament.

Trailing by four points in the final 6.5 seconds, ALEXIS BERTELSEN drained a 3-ball with 1.4 ticks left on the clock. And when LA TASHA DOWELL stepped in front of the ensuing inbounds pass near the basket, the guard from Chula Vista immediately tossed up the ball for the game-winning layin at the buzzer to lift the Griffins past shell-shocked Golden West, 65-64.

"We've been waiting for La Tasha to do that on defense all season," said Grossmont coach KAREN CAIRES. "She never gave up -- the entire team never gave up. We just kept at it on defense and made plays."

The Rustlers led 59-52 with 1:48 remaining when the visitors from Huntington Beach, utilizing just six players because of the holidays, saw a second player foul-out to leave them with just four players on the floor. However, it man-shortage had little impact as Grossmont was in a must-foul situation.

The real difference came at the foul line, where Golden West made just 6-of-12 in the final two minutes, allowing Grossmont (5-9) to inch closer one point at a time.

Dowell, who scored just two points in the first 39 minutes, scored on a putback following an offensive rebound to cut the deficit to 61-60 with 16 seconds left. Rustlers guard Kiki Romero made three foul shots over the next two possessions before the Griffins pulled out their unlikely, last-second victory.

Grossmont led most of the first half, when center MEGAN EHMKE scored 14 of her career-high 24 points. The freshman from West Hills High also grabbed 11 rebounds. Golden West finally took the lead midway through the second when going on a 14-0 run to turn a 7-point deficit into a 7-point advantage at 53-46 with 5:57 to go.

The Griffins closed the margin when forward GABBY PASSENTINO scored six of her 17 points over the next three minutes, including a perfect 4-for-4 at the foul line.

For Golden West (2-9), JESSICA JONES, who plays center on defense, but sets-up at the top of the arch on offense, scored a game-high 28 points, including a perfect 5-for-5 on treys.

Grossmont next meets 18th-ranked Bakersfield in Friday's semifinals. The Renegades edged Citrus, 59-53.

In the other half of the tournament draw, Saddleback whipped defending tournament champion Mt. San Jacinto, 64-44, while San Diego Mesa downed winless Compton, 73-49. Mesa was led by a trio of East County products, as ASHLEY SHEPARD (Monte Vista) scored 15, JOY EDWARDS (Granite Hills) and KELSEY ASH (Santana) added 13 points each, and ASHLEY MILLER (Monte Vista) had nine.

© East County Sports.com
PALM DESERT (12-22-06) -- With her second strong performance in as many nights, Grossmont College center MEGAH EHMKE paced the Griffins with 13 points en route to Thursday's (Dec. 21) 51-35 conquest of host College of the Desert. The victory snapped Grossmont's 8-game losing streak.

Ehmke also grabbed a game-best seven rebounds, as Grossmont (4-9) held an opponent to its lowest point total of the season. The Roadrunners fell to 6-9.

A balanced scoring attack saw LIZ RIEDEL, ALEXIS BERTELSEN and KYLIE PITTS add six points each, while GABBY PASSENTINO and ALI SMELSER had five each.

Tournament Time -- The Griffins returns to action next Thursday (Dec. 28) hosting its 19th annual Grossmont College-San Diego Realty Holiday Tournament. The 3-day event features the Griffins and Golden West on Opening Night's feature game.

The upper bracket opens the tournament with Compton and San Diego Mesa at 1 p.m., then Saddleback and defending tournament champ Mt. San Jacinto at 3 p.m. The other half of the draw features the Griffins game at 5 p.m., then 13th-ranked Bakersfield and Citrus at 7 p.m.

© East County Sports.com
IRVINE (12-21-06) -- One night after the Cuyamaca College men's basketball team suffered a last-second loss to Irvine Valley College, the Coyotes' women's basketball returned to the scene of the crime -- and lost in the very same fashion.

Moments after Cuyamaca guard JAMAISA ALLEN hit a driving layin to snap a 60-all tie with 10 seconds remaining, the Lasers pushed the ball up the court to guard Danyelle Swenson who nailed a 3-point shot with 1.0 seconds left to lift Irvine Valley to a shocking 63-62 victory over the Coyotes at IVC's Hart Gymnasium on Wednesday (Dec. 20).

Swenson led the Lasers (6-6) with 16 points, hitting 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. Cuyamaca (4-10) received a game-high 22 points from BRITTANY DANIEL, but the Coyotes shot just 28.1 percent from the floor (9-of-32) in the second half to give away a 32-27 halftime advantage.

The only glaring statistical difference came at the foul line, as Irvine Valley was an impressive 16-for-19, while the Coyotes only made 16-of 25.

Daniel almost posted a triple-double, adding 10 rebounds and six assists. SAM MOHAN scored 15 points, while Allen recorded eight points and five assists. In addition, MICHELLE THOMPSON registered a game-best 14 boards.

"Thompson did a really nice job defensively and on the boards," said Cuyamaca coach JIM GLEBOFF.

For the Lasers, Emily Luckeroth scored 13, while Kayla Acromite had 12.

Cuyamaca opens a 3-game homestand on Fri., Dec. 29, hosting Butte College at 5 p.m.

L.A. Pierce 81, Grossmont 67 -- The Griffins held Pierce scoring leader Britany Henderson, a 6-foot-2 transfer from CSU-Los Angeles, to exactly half of her 26.0 scoring average. But when the Griffins missed four consecutive layins with 9 minutes remaining, the 13th-ranked Brahmas turned a 53-50 deficit into a 59-53 advantage to complete a 2-game East County sweep.

Rachelle Tan, who scored the winning basket to nip Cuyamaca on Monday, started the scoring run with a 3-point basket and a pair of foul shots. Tan paced both teams with 22 points.

Kim Rodriquez, who missed her first nine shots from the floor courtesy of some tough Griffins defense, finally found the range. She hit five baskets down the stretch to finish with 15 points -- all in the final seven minutes.

The teams combined to block 22 shots -- 11 by both teams -- to set a Grossmont school mark in the physical contest which featured 56 fouls. Included were four on Pierce point guard Teresha Coulson, who then picked up a technical to foul out with 7:58 left in the first half.

MEGAN EHMKE challenged Henderson successfully inside. The Griffins center finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while forward GABRIELA PASSENTINO was a standout on defense, collecting a team-high 17 points and seven boards.

Grossmont travels to College of the Desert for a nonconference game Thursday (Dec. 21), then returns home next week for its annual Grossmont Invitational tournament. The Griffins meet Golden West in the opening round on Thurs., Dec. 28, at 5 p.m.

© East County Sports.com
RANCHO SAN DIEGO (12-19-06) -- Three-point specialist Rachelle Tan, who was held without a trey over the entire second half, finally hit on a shot from beyond the arc with less than a second on the clock, allowing 13th-ranked L.A. Pierce College to escape the upset challenge of Cuyamaca College, 72-69, in Monday's (Dec. 18) non-conference game.

For Tan, who finished with 4 treys and 13 total points, her basket with 0.6 seconds left was her only points of the second half, yet it allowed the Brahmas (14-3) to win the first of a two-game road swing through the East County. On Wednesday (Dec. 20), Pierce will play host to Grossmont at 5 p.m.

Former Cal State-Los Angeles center Britany Henderson, a two-time L.A. City high jump champion for Fairfax High School, paced both teams with 26 points. The 6-foot-2 center gained a large chunk of her points in the final minutes after Cuyamaca's BRITTANY DANIEL fouled out with 5:40 remaining and the Coyotes holding a 4-point lead.

Daniel finished with 22 points, but JAMAISA ALLEN picked up the scoring slack with 21 points, keeping the game even until Tan's game-winner. The Brahmas, which opened the season with eight consecutive victories in November, have now won 6 of their last 7 outings.

Cuyamaca (4-9) saw its 2-game winning streak snapped. The Coyotes play at Irvine Valley on Wednesday (Dec. 20), then return for a 3-game homestand with contests against Butte (Dec. 29), Lassen (Dec. 31; time change to 2 p.m.) and then the Pacific Coast Conference opener against Grossmont (Jan. 3).

© East County Sports.com
WILMINGTON (12-17-06) -- Except for a single possession, Cuyamaca College never led in Saturday's (Dec.16) nonconference game at Los Angeles Harbor College -- until the final 90 seconds.

The Coyotes closed the contest on an 8-2 run, which was just enough to clip the host Seahawks, 81-77.

BRITTANY DANIEL broke a 77-all tie with a short jump shot, then SAM MOHAN sank a pair of foul shots for the winning margin in the closing seconds.

Mohan paced the Coyotes with team-highs of 18 points and six rebounds, while Daniel and JAMISA ALLEN each scored 17 points.

Cuyamaca (4-8) trailed 44-35 at the half, with the deficit reaching 13 points with 14 minutes remaining. Part of the problem was foul trouble, as Daniel sat for a 7-minute stretch early in the second half, then upon her return, MICHELLE THOMPSON (8 points, 5 boards) fouled out.

However, the press proved effective while the Coyotes chiseled away, finally taking the lead at 73-72 when RAWAA PATROS drained a 3-ball with 3 minutes remaining. The Seahawks (1-10) answered with a trey, then Cuyamaca went on its closing run to victory.

"When we started to press, it was the first time we showed any energy," said head coach JIM GLEBOFF.

Cuyamaca, winners in three of its last four outings, hosts L.A. Pierce this Monday (Dec. 18) at 5 p.m.

© East County Sports.com
LANCASTER (12-16-06) -- Sitting comfortably with a 9-point lead, a lid seemed to suddenly cover the Grossmont College basket. The Griffins failed to score for a 7-minute stretch of the second half, allowing Moorpark College to secure a 55-53 triumph in the consolation round of the Fox Sports Radio Classic an Antelope Valley College.

"We were in the lead and Moorpark was sitting in a zone -- everything was fine," said Grossmont coach KAREN CAIRES. "Then we just couldn't hit anything."

The Griffins shot a steady 46-percent from the floor in the second half, scoring four quick baskets to mount a 35-26 lead. But when the team started shooting blanks, the Raiders came back thanks to 18 points from freshman forward Sara Nicholson.

ALEXIS BERTELSEN paced the Grifins with 13 points, while KYLIE PITTS busted Moorpark's zone early for 12 points, including a pair of 3-point shots. In addition, center MEGAN EHMKE registered a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards.

However, the team committed eight more turnovers than the Raiders (29-21), nullifying Grossmont's advantage on the boards (47-30, including 17 offensive rebounds).

"I'm proud of the effort, but we're still trying to figure things out," added the coach.

The triumph allowed the Raiders to avenge a 57-44 loss to the Griffins back on Nov. 17.

Grossmont (3-8), which opened the season with victories in three of its first four ballgames, has now lost seven straight. Conversely, the Raiders, once 1-10, have won 3-of-4 to move to 4-11. Moorpark will meet L.A.Valley in the consolation final; the Monarchs whipped lowly College of the Desert, 59-33.

© East County Sports.com
LANCASTER (12-15-06) -- Grossmont College stayed close with 20th-ranked Bakersfield College for about 30 minutes. But with four players listed standing at 6-feet or taller, the bigger Renegades finally wore down the Griffins in the closing minutes, pulling away for an 88-71 victory in Thursday's (Dec. 14) opening round of the Fox Sports Radio Classic at Antelope Valley College.

Grossmont guard KYLIE PITTS took advantage of the Bakersfield zone, bombing away for five 3-point shots as part of a career high 19 points. Pitts also paced the team with four steals.

But once the Renegades (12-2) forced the ball inside, their forwards scored on an assortment of close-range shots, as the team hit an even 50-percent (19-for-38) in the second half. And if they missed, second-chance opportunities courtesy of 22 offensive rebounds was finally too much for Grossmont (3-7) to overcome.

MEGAN EHMKE added 10 points for the Griffins, while ALEXIS BERTELSEN added nine points and five boards.

Grossmont moves to the consolation bracket, meeting Moorpark in Friday's (Dec. 15) 3:30 p.m. semifinals. The Raiders fell to the tournament host Marauders, 61-40. In the other half of the bracket, Santa Barbara City routed College of the Desert, 99-45, while Fullerton bounced L.A. Valley, 76-41.

© East County Sports.com
RANCHO SAN DIEGO (12-14-06) -- Cuyamaca College guard BRITTANY DANIEL poured home a career-high 33 points -- the third-highest total in school history -- powering the Coyotes past visiting Victor Valley in Wednesday's (Dec. 13) nonconference contest.

Daniel topped her previous best of 25, set twice earlier in the season. The school mark is 43, set last season by RAWAA PATROS against Life Pacific College.

However, it wasn't a one-woman show. JAMISA ALLEN added 27 points -- also a career high -- while MICHELLE THOMPSON led the defense with 12 rebounds.

Cuyamaca (3-8), winners in two of its last three contests, will be a heavy favorite in Saturday's (Dec. 16) road game at L.A. Harbor College. The Coyotes return home on Monday (Dec. 18), entertaining L.A. Pierce College at 5 p.m.

© East County Sports.com
RANCHO SAN DIEGO (12-10-06) -- Cuyamaca College again was in position to claim the school's first-ever women's basketball tournament crown, but L.A. Southwest College got in the way.

The Cougars of Inglewood built a 12-point halftime lead and cruised past the Coyotes, 70-55, in the final of the Cuyamaca Classic. BRITTANY DANIEL registered a game-high 25 points for Cuyamaca (2-8), but no one else reached double figures in scoring

The Coyotes concludes their 4-game homestand on Wednesday (Dec. 13), entertaining Victor Valley at 5 p.m.

© East County Sports.com
RANCHO SAN DIEGO (12-9-06) -- A year ago, Cuyamaca College was within four minutes of claiming its first tournament championship before falling. Following Friday's (Dec. 8) victory, the Coyotes earned a second chance to achieve school history.

BRITTANY DANIEL poured in a team-best 16 points, lifting Cuyamaca (2-7) to a 79-66 decision over East Los Angeles in the opening round of the Coyote Classic. MICHELLE THOMPSON added 14 points -- her second-best effort of the season -- and nine rebounds, leading the team to the final of its own tournament for the second straight season.

Daisy Ortiz paced the Huskies (5-7) with a game-high 18 points.

Cuyamaca will meet L.A. Southwest in Saturday's (Dec. 9) 3 p.m. title game. The Cougars advanced by edging Victor Valley, 60-54. VVC's Rams will meet East L.A. in the 1 p.m. consolation contest.

Irvine Valley 68, Grossmont 55
© East County Sports.com
IRVINE (12-9-06) -- The host Lazers saw four players score in double figures, eliminating the Griffins in the consolation round of the Irvine Valley College Invitational.

Danyelle Swenson paced all IVC scorers with 17 points. She also added four assists. Emily Luckeroth had 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals, Katie Ryan finished with 13 points and three assists, and Kayla Acromite contributed 12 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks for the Lasers.

Grossmont received 13 points and 13 boards from center Megan Ehmke.

IVC will meet Merced in Saturday's consolation final. The Blue Devils advanced by whipping Compton, 55-33. In the winner's bracket, pre-tournament favorite Chaffey pounded College of the Desert, 70-32, while San Diego Mesa received a break when Golden West could only field five players to still barely nip the Rustlers, 64-58.

Grossmont (3-6) next plays in the Antelope Valley Tournament in Lancaster next weekend, starting on Thursday (Dec. 14).

Desert got an impressive game from Crystal Gonzalez. She finished with 27 points and 9 rebounds. Gonzalez made 9 of 14 shots from the field, including going 6-of-10 from behind the three-point line. Mya Ross added 15 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists for the Roadrunners.

Grossmont was led by KYLIE PITTS, who had 15 points and four assists, while ALI SMELSER finished with 11 points and five rebounds. However, the team shot just 4-for-24 (16.7 percent) in the first half, scoring just 11 points.

The Griffins (3-5) will meet the host Lazers (4-4) in Friday's (Dec. 8) consolation round at 4 p.m. Irvine Valley fell to Chaffey, 62-52.

© East County Sports.com
RANCHO SAN DIEGO (12-5-06) -- Cuyamaca College raced to an early 11-point lead, but failed to maintain the momentum in falling to visiting Cerro Coso College, 66-55, in Monday's (Dec. 4) non-conference game.

The Coyotes opened the contest with a quick run to mount a 20-9 advantage.

"Then we just stopped playing," noted disappointed Cuyamaca coach JIM GLEBOFF. "I can't really explain it."

JAMISA ALLEN scored a team-high 15 points for the Coyotes (1-7), including a trio of 3-points shots to grab the early lead. RAWAA PATROS added 14 points, but Cerro Coso (5-2) came back to take a 27-26 halftime lead.

© East County Sports.com
MISSION VIEJO (12-2-06) -- Cuyamaca College jumped to another early lead, but again failed to maintain the momentum, this time falling to undefeated Saddleback College, 73-63, in Friday['s (Dec. 2) nonconference contest.

The Coyotes (1-6) raced to an early 8-point lead, but the Gauchos (3-0) caught them by the intermission for a 1-point lead, despite a game-high 25 points from BRITTANY DANIEL (Eastlake), who drained 17-of-20 foul shots by dominating the middle. Daniel also posted nine rebounds.

JAMISA ALLEN added 12 points for Cuyamaca, hitting 5-of-7 shots from the floor.

The Coyotes return home Monday (Dec. 4) with a rematch against CERRO COSO at 5 p.m. The teams met three weeks ago in Ridgecrest, when the Cerro Coso's Coyotes took a 70-56 deicision.

© East County Sports.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH (11-30-06) -- BRITTANY DANIEL recorded a game-high 21 points, helping Cuyamaca College snap a season-long losing streak to stun host Golden West, 69-64, in Wednesday's (Nov. 29) nonconference game.

While Daniel was scoring inside, JAMISA ALLEN, a freshman guard who has seen little action all season, added 15 points from the backcourt for the Coyotes (1-5). The Rustlers, once a state championship program in the early 1980s, are winless in five starts.

Cuyamaca returns to Orange County on Friday (Dec. 1), traveling to Mission Viejo to meet Saddleback (2-0). The game will be a strong measuring stick, as the Gauchos defeated Coyotes' conference rival Imperial Valley, 80-62.

Fullerton 72, Grossmont 41 -- With injured point guard RUBY RAMOS out with an ankle injury, Grossmont College failed to handle the Fullerton College press, as the Hornets pulled away for an easy 72-41 non-conference victory in Wednesday's (Nov. 29) meeting of former South Coast Conference rivals.

Sophomore guard Melanie Whitney led the defensive assault with five steals, gaining a series of easy transition baskets to lead Fullerton (6-2) with 12 points.

Forward Vao Fao'a added 11 points and a game-high seven rebounds for the Hornets. Also scoring in double figures were guard Marlene Oeurn and center Amy Richard with 10 points each. Ouern also registered seven assists.

The Griffins received 10 points each from forwards LIZ RIEDEL and GABBY PASSENTINO, but 43 turnovers doomed the host without its point guard. Included were nine turnovers in the first five minutes, as Fullerton raced to 10-2 advantage. The Griffins (3-4) have lost three straight.

Grossmont trimmed the margin to two points, 22-20, with 2:40 left in the half, but the Hornets went on a 14-3 run for a 36-23 lead with 16:39 remaining, then closed the contest on a 32-12 run over the final 11 minutes.

Fullerton also took care of the ball near its own basket, out-boarding Grossmont 38-30, allowing just six offensive boards.

© East County Sports.com
COSTA MESA (11-25-06) -- Grossmont College wanted a measuring bar to determine how far the team can go this season. So a match-up with perennial state contender Orange Coast was placed on the schedule to determine the Griffins' status.

However, the press of the Pirates (4-2) proved to be too much, forcing 42 turnovers to collect an 88-41 non-conference triumph Saturday (Nov. 25) afternoon.

"Coast is really above the bar, like we expected," said Grossmont coach KAREN CAIRES. "And we, well, we're not above the bar just yet."

The Griffins showed signs of getting there, out-rebounding the taller Pirates, 41-32.

MEGAN EHMKE paced Grossmont (3-3) with 13 points. She also equaled teammate LIZ RIEDEL with seven boards. The Griffins host Fullerton on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

© East County Sports.com
OXNARD (11-23-06) -- Three days after falling by two points, Cuyamaca College again played Oxnard College, and again fell in the final seconds by two points by nearly an identical score.

Last Saturday, the Condors took a 67-65 decision at the L.A. Pierce Tournament in Woodland Hills. On Wednesday (Nov. 22), after battling for six hours through Los Angeles holiday traffic to play on the Condors' home court, the Coyotes fell by a 68-66 margin.

Oxnard (4-4) scored the tie-breaking basket with nine seconds left. The Coyotes inbounded the ball and raced down the court, as a forced shot to extend the game into overtime was blocked to secure the Condors victory.

MICHELLE THOMPSON led Cuyamaca (0-5) with 17 points. The Coyotes played most of the game without one of their leading scorers, BRITTANY DANIEL, who pulled a groin muscle in the game's opening minutes after being unable to warm-up and stretch effectively following the long trip to Ventura County.

© East County Sports.com
MONTERREY PARK (11-22-06) -- The traffic on Southern California freeways can make for long commutes. And sluggish performances by visiting teams after traversing through one Sig Alert after another.

So by the time Grossmont College regained their "sea legs," East Los Angeles had opened a quick 13-4 lead. It took the Griffins all contest to catch up, moving within one point with less than a minute remaining. However, the Huskies scored the game's final five points to survive the rally attempt for a 61-55 nonconference decision.

Freshman guard Daisy Ortez, who led Montbello's Cantwell-Sacred Heart to the Camino Real League title last season, paced East L.A. with a career-high 19 points. The total was one point short of her career best in high school for the Cardinals.

"We kept battling back and battlng back," Grossmont assistant coach LENNY SCHLEIN noted about the rally after being 12 down at the half. "And we got to within a point with 50 seconds to go, I really thought we'd pull it out."

The balanced attack saw ALI SMELSER lead the Griffins with 11 points, while LA TASHA DOWELL and TONYA GRETTENBERGER added 10 each, as the entire team contributed to the rally.

"We played a lot of players and the bench stood out," noted Grossmont head coach KAREN CAIRES. "They got a lot of minutes and did a great job -- they learned a lot although not winning."

Grossmont (3-2) returns to action Saturday (Nov. 25) with a road game at Orange Coast. Game time in Costa Mesa has been changed to 2 p.m.

© East County Sports.com
WOODLAND HILLS (11-19-06) -- The Cuyamaca Coyotes' first triumph of the season was just seconds away, but they gave the game away when a pair of turnovers led to five Oxnard College points in the final eight seconds to take the L.A. Pierce Tournament consolation contest, 67-65.

Leading 65-62, a Cuyamaca turnover led to a Condors basket and a free throw to knot the game. And when the Coyotes again committed a turnover, Cherelle Mayes grabbed the ball and was fouled, sinking two foul shots with 0:01 left to steal the victory.

Cuyamaca trailed by eight points at the half, but surged ahead behind 13 points each by RAWAA PATROS and BRITTANY DANIEL, who missed most of the first half with foul trouble.

For the Condors, Awilda Hernandez had 14 points and five assists. Tasha Hernandez and Crystal Lopez each scored 11 points. Taylor Comer added 10 points and eight rebounds.

The teams meet again Tuesday in a nonconference game in Ventura County.

The game was close in the first half, as Grossmont led 22-20 at the half. The post players took control inside to allow the Griffins (3-1) to eventually pull away. LA TASHA DOWELL added eight points, while GABBY PASSENTINO added 7, in the first game of a 3-game roadtrip.

L.A. Pierce 82, Cuyamaca 69 -- Just a few miles down the Ventura Highway from the Grossmont contest, the Coyotes followed a similar pattern as Grossmont -- until the second half.

Despite building a 37-33 halftime lead by getting the ball to its post players, Cuyamaca dropped its third straight contest following a Brahmas rally over the final 14 minutes to post a home court win in Woodland Hills. L.A. Pierce, a doormat in recent seasons, is now a surprising 4-0.

Leading scorers for the Coyotes (0-3) were SAM MOHAN with 15 points and BRITTANY DANIEL with 13.

Cuyamaca will again play at Pierce on Saturday (Nov. 18), meeting the Oxnard College Condors at 5 p.m. © East County Sports.com

© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (11-15-06) -- Following a disastrous first half which saw the hosts score just five baskets, the Grossmont College women's basketball team stormed back from a 14-deficit to move within two points, but Mt. San Jacinto College hung on to claim a 53-43 victory in Tuesday's (Nov. 14) non-conference game.

MEGAN EHMKE and ALI SMELSER each scored 11 points, with 16 of the combined points coming in the second half, but the Griffins (2-1) still saw their season-opening winning streak snapped.

The Eagles (1-1) streaked to early leads of 16-7 and 28-14 when Grossmont failed to take care of the basketball, committing 19 turnovers in the first half.

"If we played the first half like we did in the second half, we would've won," noted sophomore forward GABBY PASSENTINO, who registered six assists, including four in the second half to fuel the comeback. "We've got to play 40 minutes, not 20."

Passentino ignited the second-half rally with an early 3-ball, then Ehmke scored six points during an 11-0 Griffins run to cut the margin to 34-32 with 12:34 remaining. However, Mt. San Jacinto received a 3-ball from leading scorer Britney Iredale (16 points) to keep Grossmont at bay the rest of the way.

"I still was proud with our second half and our effort," noted Grossmont coach KAREN CAIRES. "We just need to improve our tenaciousness to fight for the ball."

Rebounding, a strength of the Griffins, was not there as MSJC held a 59-45 advantage on the boards, although Ehmke was the game's individual leader with nine boards.. The Eagles also received 10 points, five assists and five steals from guard Michelle Simmons.

The Griffins open a 3-game roadtrip on Friday (Nov. 17) at Moorpark.

© East County Sports.com
RIDGECREST (11-14-06) -- The Cuyamaca College Coyotes held a 32-30 halftime lead, but host Cerro Coso College Coyotes came back to win Monday's (Nov. 13) non-conference contest. El Cajon Valley HS products Brittany Daniel and Michelle Thompson each scored 12 points to lead visiting Cuyamaca (0-2). Cerro Coso won its season debut.

© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (11-11-06) -- There are turning points to every season. And Grossmont College encountered the first one in just its second ballgame of the 2006-07 season.

After allowing a 12-point, first-half lead to disappear, the Griffins overcame a stretch of four minutes without the lead to edge back in front, then hold off visiting Barstow College, 68-64, in Friday's (Nov. 10) non-conference contest.

Former Julian High standout ALLY SMELSER scored nine of her team-high 15 points in the second half, including a high-post jumper off a steal by TONYA GRETTENBERGER for a 60-56 lead with 4:42 remaining.

Grossmont (2-0) then turned on the defense by blanking the Vikings for almost two full minutes, as LA TASHA DOWELL (Chula Vista HS) took a charge to force a turnover, while Smelser blocked a shot.

In the final minute, Barstow guard Kim Fox drained a 3-ball to trim the lead to 67-64. However, Grettenberger drained a foul shot with 6.3 seconds left to take away any Vikings opportunity to force overtime with another 3-point shot.

"I pushed myself to make that (foul) shot," said Gruttenberger, who missed three straight free throws before nailing the game-clincher. "Being able to make it and just the way the team played to comeback is encouraging -- we think we could have a pretty good season."

Grossmont took early leads of 16-5 and 21-9, as Barstow converted just 1-of-17 shots to open the contest. However, turnovers and foul trouble forced the Griffins to go deep into their bench, allowing the Vikings to slowly cut into the lead.

"We did much better taking care of the ball in the second half," said Grossmont coach KAREN CAIRES. "And our point guard, KYLIE PITTS, missed a lot of the game with four fouls. But the team showed poise and handled the press, even when we fell behind."

Grettenberger and Dowell added 10 points each, while Smelser added 16 rebounds, as the Griffins held a 60-54 advantage on the boards.

Tiffany Green led Barstow (1-1) with 18 points, five steals and four assists.

Grossmont next hosts Mt. San Jacinto on Tuesday (Nov. 14), with a special early 4:30 p.m. tip-off.

© East County Sports.com
LOS ANGELES (11-9-06) -- Entering the season, Grossmont College head coach KAREN CAIRES expected one tough opponent and another of the easier variety among the Griffins' opening-week contests.

Caires just didn't know that the balance of power, just like in Washington, has flipped.

Without the likes of current San Diego State center DESIREE JOHNSON patrolling the court anymore for Los Angeles City College, the Cubs have dropped a notch in their competitiveness, allowing Grossmont to go on the road and waltz to a 77-39 season-opening victory.

"It was a nice way to open the season," said Caires, the former University of Arizona assistant now in her fifth season leading the Griffins. "Everyone played hard and executed, as everyone got a chance to play."

When Johnson, the older sister to All-CIF performer Paris Johnson of San Diego High, played for LACC, the Cubs ranked near the top of the South Coast Conference. Now, LACC is starting to resemble its old self when it was the poorest program in the state in the early 1980s.

Thus, a host of young Grossmont players were able to shake off any of Wednesday's (Nov. 8) Opening Night anxiety quickly, as four Griffins scored in double figures. Leading the pack was KYLIE PITTS with 13 points, followed by TERI BAILEY (12), MORGAN SURRATT (11) and ALLY SMELSER (10).

Meanwhile, TONYA GRETTENBERGER paced the defense with seven rebounds, Surratt grabbed six, and MEGAN EHMKE had five, lifting Grossmont to a 42-18 halftime lead.

Grossmont will host its home opener at 5 p.m. Friday (Nov. 10), entertaining Barstow College. The Vikings, unlike previous seasons, are vastly improved, including Tuesday night's 69-66 upset of Citrus College.

Glendale 77, Cuyamaca 65 -- Cuyamaca first-year coach JIM GLEBOFF has coached all around the world, including stops in Egypt and Tahiti, turning around many basketball programs of both genders. His latest test is to push Cuyamaca College over the .500 mark for the first time, although the Coyotes fell in their season opener at home to the Vaqueros.

The contest was close until the closing minutes, as Glendale held a 3-point lead before sinking a succession of foul shots when Cuyamaca was forced to foul in the final three minutes.

Leading scorers for the Coyotes were SAM MOHAN (15 points), RAWAA PATROS (12) and BRITTANY DANIEL (11).

© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (11-7-06) -- Both East County community college women's basketball programs will open the 2006-07 season on Wednesday (Nov. 8). Cuyamaca College will host Glendale at 5 p.m., while Grossmont heads north to meet powerful Los Angeles City, also at 5 p.m.

© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (5-17-06) -- Three members of the Grossmont College women's basketball team will play collegiately at the next level next winter, Griffins head coach KAREN CAIRES announced Wednesday (May 17).

READ MORE:
NMSU Website

http://www.nmstatesports.com/
ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1900&ATCLID=281291

The players are forward-center KAYLA HENRY, who signed an NCAA Division I scholarship with New Mexico State, plus guards BRIGAYLE IGLEHART (CSU-Dominguez Hills) and MARLA MASON (UC San Diego) -- all sophomores.

Henry paced the Griffins with an 18.7 scoring average -- the third-best in the Pacific Coast Conference -- while leading the circuit in percentage shooting despite seeing most of her action at center. However, with the Division I Aggies, Henry will be at a far stronger position at power forward.

"New Mexico State runs a 4-out, 1-in (offense formation), so it should help develop my game a lot more," noted Henry, who is known for her slashes to the basket, similar to her cousin, WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes of the Houston Comets. "They were looking for someone and we made the connection."

Helping the parties come together was Henry's high school coach, ROBBIE SANDOVAL of Mount Miguel, where Henry captured a pair of CIF championships.

"I have to thank him, and I have to thank coach Caires, too," added Henry. "I really trusted in her and it helped my game a lot in being more disciplined, to'use the glass,' like she always tells me, and increase my scoring in league games."

Henry will major in sports medicine. Her decision will also allow her parents to decide where to move to, hoping to stay realitively close to their daughter. They will relocate to Dallas, which is less than a day's drive from Las Cruces.

NMSU advanced to the Western Athletic Conference championship game for the first time in school history this past season.

Like Henry, Iglehart, a University City High product, was a first-team, All-PCC performer, who registered a rare quadruple-double against Southwestern during conference play. She also ranked among the conference leaders in several categories.

"I originally wanted to go to Savannah State, but it didn't happen that way," noted Iglehart. "Cal State Dominguez Hills offers me more promise than all the other teams looking at me, and the coaching staff feels comfortable for me."

Mason's decision on UC San Diego was as much strictly for academics as it was for basketball. The Chula Vista High product plans to major in political science while playing for the Tritons.

"The program is starting to excel since uit moved to Division II," said Mason, who hopes to become a detective or military investigator.

Mason averaged 5.9 points, 2.7 assists, 2.6 steals, and 3.7 rebounds. The Tritons advanced to the NCAA Tournament this year, falling in the first round.

CUYAMACA COLLEGE -- 2006-07 LOG
Record: 10-18 overall (PCC 4-8)

Date Opponent W/L Score
Nov. 8 GLENDALE L 65-77
Nov. 13 at Cerro Coso L 56-70
Nov. 17 a-L.A. Pierce W# 69-82
Nov. 18 a-Oxnard L 65-67
Nov. 22 at Oxnard L 66-68
Nov. 29 at Golden West W 69-64
Dec. 1 at Saddleback L 63-73
Dec. 4 CERRO COSO L 55-66
Dec. 8 b-EAST LOS ANGELES W 79-66
Dec. 9 b-L.A. SOUTHWEST L 55-70
Dec. 13 VICTOR VALLEY W 88-58
Dec. 16 at L.A. Harbor W 81-77
Dec. 18 L.A. PIERCE W# 59-62
Dec. 20 at Irvine Valley L 63-62
Dec. 29 BUTTE L 58-77
Dec. 31 LASSEN L 65-81
Jan. 3 *GROSSMONT L 70-77
Jan. 6 *at Imperial Valley L 53-69
Jan. 10 *SAN DIEGO MESA L 68-75
Jan. 13 *at Palomar L 45-74
Jan. 17 *at Southwestern L 60-81
Jan. 24 *SAN DIEGO CITY W 82-52
Jan. 27 *at Grossmont W 84-76 PHOTOS
Jan. 31 *IMPERIAL VALLEY L 56-68
Feb. 3 *at San Diego Mesa L 58-79
Feb. 7 *PALOMAR W 81-77
Feb. 10 *SOUTHWESTERN L 76-85
Feb. 17 *at San Diego City W 67-63
#forfeit win from L.A.Pierce
a-L.A. Pierce Tournament
b-Cuyamaca Classic
*Pacific Coast Conference contest
Games, dates and times subject to change.

GROSSMONT COLLEGE -- 2006-07 LOG
Record: 10-19 overall (PCC 3-9)

Date Opponent W/L Score
Nov. 8 at Los Angeles City W 77-39
Nov. 10 BARSTOW W 68-64
Nov. 14 MT. SAN JACINTO L 43-53
Nov. 17 at Moorpark W 57-44
Nov. 21 at East Los Angeles L 55-61
Nov. 25 at Orange Coast L 41-88
Nov. 29 FULLERTON L 41-72
Dec. 7 a-Desert L 47-64
Dec. 8 a-at Irvine Valley L 55-68
Dec. 14 b-Bakersfield L 71-88
Dec. 15 b-Moorpark L 53-55
Dec. 20 L.A. PIERCE W# 67-81PHOTOS
Dec. 21 at Desert W 51-35
Dec. 28 c-GOLDEN WEST W 65-64 PHOTOS
Dec. 29 c-BAKERSFIELD L 58-84
Dec. 30 c-SD MESA W 73-48 PHOTOS
Jan. 3 *at Cuyamaca W 77-70
Jan. 4 SISKIYOUS L 25-99
Jan. 6 *SAN DIEGO MESA W 64-63
Jan. 10 *at San Diego City W 67-59
Jan. 13 *SOUTHWESTERN L 54-73
Jan. 20 *IMPERIAL VALLEY L 56-63
Jan. 24 *at Palomar L 61-98
Jan. 27 *CUYAMACA L 76-84 PHOTOS
Jan. 31 *at San Diego Mesa L 58-73
Feb. 3 *SAN DIEGO CITY L 57-64
Feb. 7 *at Southwestern L 40-50
Feb. 14 *at Imperial Valley L 40-67
Feb. 17 *PALOMAR L 51-81
#forfeit win from L.A.Pierce
a-Irvine Valley Tournament
b-Antelope Valley Tournament
c-19th annual San Diego Realty-Grossmont Holiday Tournament
*Pacific Coast Conference contest

Cuyamaca College Athletics Website

Grossmont College Athletics Website

Commission On Athletics

Pacific Coast Conference

Previous Scores
Tue., Nov. 7
Orange Coast 84, @Palomar 51
Wed., Nov. 8
Grossmont 77, @LACC 39
Glendale 77, @Cuyamaca 65
Thurs., Nov. 9
@San Bernardino Valley 83, SDCC 35
Fri., Nov. 10
@Grossmont 68, Barstow 64
Canyons 75, Southwestern 47
Pasadena 61, Palomar 49
Mesa 71, L.A. Harbor 66
Sat., Nov. 11
Palomar 53, Moorpark 44
Bakersfield 63, San Diego Mesa 48
Saddleback 80, Imperial Valley 62
Solano 56, Southwestern 52
Barstow 67, @SDCC 52
Sun., Nov. 12
Chaffey 47, Palomar 45
@San Diego Mesa 57, Antelope Valley 51
Mon., Nov. 13
@Cerro Coso 70, Cuyamaca 56
Tue., Nov. 14
Mt. San Jacinto 53, @Grossmont 43
@Ariz. Western (2-1) 84, Imperial Valley 66
Wed., Nov. 15
Palomar 75, Irvine Valley 51
Fri., Nov. 17
Grossmont 57, @Moorpark 44
@L.A. Pierce 82, Cuyamaca 69
Reedley 101, Imperial Valley 61
Southwestern 66, @Desert 54
Los Angeles City 67, San Diego City 46
Palomar 72, @L.A. Valley 63 (OT)
Sat., Nov. 18
Oxnard 67, Cuyamaca 65
Palomar 50, @Moorpark 44 (OT)
Imperial Valley 74, West Los Angeles 64
Los Positas 99, San Diego City 47
Sun., Nov. 19
Imperial Valley 79, Las Positas 77
Tue., Nov. 21
@East Los Angeles 61, Grossmont 55
@Mt. San Jacinto 62, San Diego Mesa 46
@Fullerton 57, Palomar 48
Wed., Nov. 22
Irvine Valley 61, Southwestern 55
Oxnard 68, Cuyamaca 66
Thurs., Nov. 23
No games scheduled
Fri., Nov. 24
Imperial Valley 60, San Jose City 49
Desert 61, San Diego City 52
Sat., Nov. 25
@Orange Coast 88, Grossmont 41
Glendale 74, San Diego City 65
Imperial Valley 63,. Ventura 61
Sun., Nov. 26
Mt. San Jacinto 72, Imperial Valley 50
Mon.-Tue., Nov. 27-28
No games scheduled
Wed., Nov. 29
Cuyamaca 69, Golden West 64
Fullerton 72, Grossmont 41
Glendale 72, Imperial Valley 69
San Bernardino Valley 90, SDCC 32
Thurs., Nov. 30
No games scheduled
Fri., Dec. 1
Saddleback 73, Cuyamaca 63
Santa Ana 69, San Diego Mesa 46
Imperial Valley 89, Desert 45
Palomar 51, East Los Angeles 38
Santa Monica 70, Southwestern 69
Sat., Dec. 2
Palomar 55, American River 52
Oxnard 53, San Diego City 44
Sun., Dec. 3
Cypress 64, Palomar 49
Mon., Dec. 4
Cerro Coso 66, Cuyamaca 55
Tue., Dec. 5
No games scheduled
Wed., Dec. 6
SDCC 88, Life Pacific Univ. 49
Orange Coast 91, Southwestern 58
Thurs., Dec. 7
Desert 64, Grossmont 47
San Bernardino Valley 72, Palomar 35
San Diego Mesa 48, Merced 43
Fri., Dec. 8
Cuyamaca Classic
Cuyamaca 79, East Los Angeles 66
L.A. Southwest 60, Victor Valley 54
Irvine Valley Tournament
Irvine Valley 68, Grossmont 55
Merced 55, Compton 33
Chaffey 70, Desert 32
San Diego Mesa 64, Golden West 58 (GW only had 5 players, still almost won!)
Allan Hancock Tournament
Palomar 67, Cuesta 32
Sequoias 72, L.A. Harbor 63
Fullerton 74, Allan Hancock 48
Saddleback 77, San Bernardino Valley 66
Southwestern Tournament
US Marine Corp (SD) 59, Southwestern 51
Hartnell 69, West Los Angeles 46
Non-Conference
Mt. San Jacinto 68, Imperial Valley 58
Sat., Dec. 9
L.A. Southwest 70, Cuyamaca 55
Chaffey 60, San Diego Mesa 37
Southwestern 83, West Los Angeles 30
Palomar 67, Sequoias 53
Sun.-Mon., Dec. 10-11
No games scheduled
Tue., Dec. 12
Mt. San Jacinto 56, Southwestern 48
Imperial Valley 83, Compton 52
Wed., Dec. 13
Cuyamaca 88, Victor Valley 58
Palomar 58, Mt. San Jacinto 51
Thurs., Dec. 14
Bakersfield 88, Grossmont 71
Southwestern 68, Chaffey 54
Glendale 57, San Diego City 44
Fri., Dec. 15
Moorpark 55, Grossmont 53
Sat., Dec. 16
Cuyamaca 81, L.A. Harbor 77
Imperial Valley 62, Citrus 37
San Diego Mesa 64, Fresno 57
Oxnard 65, San Diego City 50