3C2A Women's Basketball Semifinal #1: Yaacoubian, top defense does job as Vaqueros advance to title game

(WALNUT) -- Glendale College reserve guard Patil Yaacoubian did a circuit around the 3-point line to open the second quarter, making one from the left corner, one from the right corner and one more for good measure at the top of the circle. The triple show opened up a 19-point lead as the South #2 seeded Vaqueros went on to upset the state #1 ranked and North #1-seed Butte, 66-42, in the 3C2A Women's Basketball Championship semifinal on Saturday afternoon.

Glendale (30-2) is making the most of its first trip ever to the Elite Eight as it plays for the state title on Sunday v. the winner of South #1 Moorpark and #3 Orange Coast. The Vaqueros extended their win streak to 25 games.

Butte (30-2) saw its 27-game win streak stopped as it went an uncharacteristic scoreless period of 9:03 between points in the first and second quarter. The Roadrunners, #3 in the state in scoring at 81.2 points a game, were held to a season-low in points by the state's top defensive team in Glendale, allowing just 45.7 a game.

"Our defense starts with a mentality and effort," said Glendale head coach Joel Weiss on why his squad is able to limit high-scoring opponents. "Anytime you hold a team below its scoring average, it's a usually going to work toward a good result."

Glendale established immediately its post play, taking a 7-0 lead and then 15-6 advantage with three baskets following offensive rebounds. Two free throws by Yaacoubian made it 19-11 after one quarter.

In the second quarter, Yaacoubian did her triple triple for a 19-point lead at 30-11. Butte mounted its first real sustained run, a 6-0 spurt capped by a Jocelyn Medina layup, but Glendale answered with a driving basket-and-one free throw by Lizette Meza to lead 38-23 at halftime.

Even though Glendale went scoreless the first four minutes of the third quarter, Butte did little itself with just one basket during that span. A Yaacoubian trey made it 46-30, and the Vaqueros stayed in control 50-32 after three quarters. Butte kept launching threes in the fourth period, but missed all 14 attempts as Glendale was never threatened in the fourth period. 

Yaacoubian, selected the 6th Player award by the Western State Conference South Division, exemplified the honor by making 5-for-11 from long range, plus 4-for-4 at the line, five rebounds and two of Glendale's six blocked shots. She finished with a game-high 19 points, followed by Malia Ulery with 14 (and seven rebounds), and Paola Gorgeiz' 10 points, seven boards and two blocks.

On Yaacoubian, Weiss said: "She is such a poised player, and her confidence level is extremely high."

Osanna Tirityan contributed nine points, eight rebounds and five assists while Evelyn Birau was strong near the basket with Gorgieiz and Tirityan in scoring nine points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dishing out four assists.

Glendale made 25 of 48 attempts from the field (52.1 percent) compared to Butte's 23.9 percent on 17 of 71 shots. Butte's four 3-pointers were also a team season low after it had made 30 long-distance shots in three previous playoff games.

No Roadrunner scored in double digits as Sarah Tait (seven rebounds) and Campbell Vieg (five steals, three assists) each had nine points. Madalynn Bassett and Jocelyn Medina tallied seven each while Aubrey Prunty had six points and four rebounds off the bench.

"(Glendale) is a very good ball club and their defense is phenomenal," Butte head coach Tyler Newton said. "I felt like we were like a deer in headlights for whatever reason and we couldn't get it going offensively.

"We made some school history this year with any team going back-to-back in the final four, and done a lot of special things with this group for sure."

Release by Robert Lewis, 3C2A State Tourney Women's Basketball SID/CCCWBCA Publicist