3C2A Women's Basketball quarterfinals #4: Mt. SAC sets sights on COS after 23-point win

WALNUT -- Mt. San Antonio College will get its wish--another shot at undefeated Sequoias--after breaking open a close game through 20 minutes to put away Sierra, 68-45, in the 3C2A State Women's Basketball quarterfinals on Friday night. 

South #2-seeded Mt. SAC (26-4) advances to face North #1 Sequoias for the third time this season after losing two heartbreaking matchups by 1-point a piece during tournament play. Sierra became the third Big 8 Conference team to lose in the quarters, seeing its season stopped at 25-4.

After a tight first half that saw Mt. SAC lead 30-28, the Mounties forced turnovers and outplayed the Wolverines, outscoring them, 38-17 over the last 20 minutes.

In the third quarter, it was the All-State duo of 2-time, SoCal Player of the Year Daisia Mitchell and Taliyah McFerson taking control. Leading just 33-32, the Mounties mounted their best run of the contest to that point, outscoring Sierra, 17-4, as McFerson scored seven points while Mitchell got the partisan gym going with a steal and fast-break layup, then a scoop to the hoop. 

In the final 10 minutes, back-to-back baskets by Aanisah Moncrief was followed by a Mitchell triple. Naomi Acuna rolled in a baseline jumper that increased the Mt. SAC lead to 20, 59-39, and put the game out of reach with seven plus minutes left. 

Mitchell, who sat all but one minute of the second quarter after getting her second foul, scored 13 of her game-high 19 points in the second half, chipping in eight rebounds and six steals. McFerson added 13 points, eight boards, and five steals. Owens collected seven points while Frances Potts and Naomi Acuna tallied six each. 

"Sierra got us in foul trouble and hit their shots in the first half," said Mounties head coach Brian Crichlow. "We lay our hats on our defense and that took over for us in the second half. Also both McFerson and Mitchell offensively came alive. We felt we had to buy time with Daisia sitting with two fouls thinking it was better to not get her into a third foul situation before halftime."

Sierra was paced by Katie Leeth with 12 points, Dibora Leaf on nine points and five steals, and Mikayla Bumgarner, who totaled eight points and nine rebounds. 

"You're not going to win many games making 30 turnovers," said Sierra head coach Brandie Murrish. "We lost the board battle and then we just couldn't make any shots in the second half."

Sierra had started out making 12 of 23 from the field in the first half, but just 6-for-29 in the last two quarters. 

In the first quarter, Donneli Allen dropped in a three that gave Sierra a 15-11 lead, only to see Mt. SAC tie things at 15-15 by the end of the period on an Armani Owens inside basket.

In an opening half that featured seven ties and six lead changes, Dibora Leaf made a steal and went the distance for a layup for a 28-27 Wolverines advantage. But the Mounties came right back with a 3-point basket from Destiny King, allowing them the lead at halftime, 30-28. 

"We figured we would probably face Sequoias at some point this tournament, so what better than the semifinals," Crichlow said. "We just wanted to get to the semifinals first and that's the most important thing."

Release by Robert Lewis, CCCWBCA Publicist