Women's hoops state tourney MVP, baseball runs leader are CCCSIA top athletes for March

Jesse Miller, who led Sierra College to the CCCAA state women's basketball championship, and Max Blessinger, the state's current runs scored leader from the Pasadena City College baseball team, are the California Community College Sports Information Association (CCCSIA) State Athletes of the Month for March.

Miller, a 5-foot-11 freshman forward, scored 33 points in Sierra's finals victory over North #1 seed San Joaquin Delta and was selected as the state tournament's MVP. At the tourney held at West Hills College Lemoore, she opened things by scoring 19 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in a quarterfinals victory over Moorpark. She followed that with a defensive clinic in helping the Wolverines beat Sequoias as she totale nine points, nine rebounds, five assists, and five steals. 

In five postseason wins in March, she averaged 17.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3 assists and 1.6 steals. Miller shot 51 percent from the floor and converted 87 percent of her free throw attempts in the playoffs.

Blessinger, a sophomore transfer from Dallas Baptist University, put together a run production month like no other for a leadoff hitter. In 14 games, he drove in an amazing 26 RBI with 20 runs, seven doubles, two home runs, and one triple. He batted .492 (30 hits) and had an on-base percentage of .594. His Ruthian 1.311 OPS helped PCC go 11-3 in the month and move the Lancers into lead contention for the South Coast Conference title. 

The centerfielder rallied the Lancers to a win over Long Beach when he hit a game-tying 3-run HR in the ninth, then he helped PCC get into extra innings the next game by delivering a 2-RBI single with his team down to its final out in the ninth. Besides leading the state with 46 runs as of April 11, Blessinger also is in the state top 4 in both hits and RBI. 

Blessinger is the first PCC men's athlete to the win state award in 15 years while Miller is the first Sierra women's AOTM since 2018.