Palomar too much for Glendale in 53-47 loss in 3rd round of CCCAA regionals
The last few minutes of the 2019-20 season for the GCC Women's Basketball Team is all anyone would need to see to feel the passion, fight and pure joy of what made this team so special, and why mince words, the greatest team and season in school history.
Yes they fell against a supremely talented Palomar squad that advanced Saturday to the state tournament, beating the Lady Vaqs 53-47, the only loss they suffered on it's home floor this year. But out numbered against 15 players and many reserves beyond that, the eight GCC players who showed up
Saturday played their hears out and left everything they had on the floor of the Verdugo Gym. That's what it took to win 27 games this season and 49 in two years for the five sophomores that played their last game for the Lady Vaqs.
Once again, GCC jumped out to a 15-6 first quarter lead but Palomar fought back to lead 24-23 at the half. But it was when the visiting Comets hit three straight three pointers at the end of the third quarter that gave them a 44-35 lead with just 10 minutes left to play that became too much of advantage to overcome. A foot injury to Tess Oakley-Stilson just minutes into the game rendered her as hobbled for the remainder of the game and it was just a matter of time that the rest of the team would follow suit with injuries as the game and the season came to an emotional end.
Vicky Oganyan and Zoe Rouse played all 40 minutes for GCC with Oganyan contributing seven rebounds, seven points, three steals and three assists and Rouse hitting three 3's for her nine points. Penelopi Trieu led the team with 14 points and Gloria Binach kicked in 10 and her usual hard as nails effort that will be sorely missed. Jada Aldana finished with seven rebounds and five points off the bench.
The final score was not what the packed Verdugo Gym home crowd wanted for their team but the accomplishments of the 2019-20 Lady Vaqs won't be forgotten any time soon