San Joaquin Delta, ranked second in the state, remains unbeaten in Big 8 Conference play

CCCAA Women's Basketball: Scoreboard l Standings 

SANTA ROSA - For its first home game of 2020, the Santa Rosa women's basketball team (6-9, 1-2) hosted San Joaquin Delta (16-1, 4-0), the top-ranked team in the North, with the Mustangs moving to 4-0 in Big 8 Conference play thanks to a 78-41 win on Thursday night.

The Bear Cubs played tough team defense for much of the first quarter, but the Mustangs' full-court pressure caused the home team to struggle offensively and commit numerous turnovers. By the time the Bear Cubs called their second timeout of the game with 2:54 on the clock, they had turned the ball over 11 times and were in a 14-0 hole. The Mustangs sank a 3-pointer 30 seconds later to get to 17-0. Hanna Morris finally got the Bear Cubs on the scoreboard with a tough shot near the basket at the 2:06 mark. The quarter ended with the Mustangs ahead 17-2.

The Mustangs scored the first nine points of the second quarter before Lani Lincoln found Trinity Hawkins open near the basket for a 1-footer with 8:14 on the clock. After Lizbeth Zavala banked in a 15-foot runner nearly two minutes later, the Bear Cubs were behind 6-27. The Bear Cubs made three more shots in a row—Lincoln's 3-pointer, Hawkins 1-footer on an inbounds play, and then her back door cut and assist from Lincoln—to get their deficit to 13-35 at the 3:02 mark. Kierra Johnson added a pair of free throws and Lincoln swished a long shot from five feet beyond the arc just before the buzzer to go into halftime behind 18-40.

Kassi Agapoff put in the first basket of the third quarter when she grabbed a long offensive rebound and quickly put in the shot from the free throw line. The Mustangs completed a 3-point play about a minute later, then Hanna Morris banked in a 1-footer and Kierra Johnson sank two free throws with 7:54 on the clock to make the score 24-43. Kierra Johnson scored a layup near the midpoint of the quarter after breaking the press, and Kassi Agapoff sank a 12-footer with 3:37 left. The next time down, Trinity Hawkins drove in then passed over defenders to Lani Lincoln next to the hoop for the field goal. The Mustangs put in two 3-pointers before Hawkins went to the free throw line and sank both. The Mustangs added one free throw and a field goal with two seconds left to increase their lead to 59-32.

Kassi Agapoff again scored first to start the fourth quarter when she grabbed an offensive rebound and put in the follow-up shot from about six feet. The Mustangs answered with a field goal, and Lani Lincoln got open inside and banked in the 1-footer with 8:29 on the clock. The Mustangs scored 8 unanswered points before Hanna Morris drew a shooting foul and made both free throws at the 4:07 mark. The Mustangs then went on a 9-0 run. Lani Lincoln drained a deep 3-pointer from above the free throw circle with 43 seconds remaining to complete the scoring in the Bear Cubs' 78-41 loss.

All 13 of the Mustangs played and 11 of them scored. Their full-court pressure defense caused the Bear Cubs to commit 39 turnovers and only take 45 shots of which they made 15 (33%). The Bear Cubs suited up 8 players and Kierra Johnson had to sit on the bench a significant amount of time due to foul trouble.

Lani Lincoln led the Bear Cubs in scoring with 13 points. Trinity Hawkins scored 8 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Kierra Johnson, Hanna Morris, and Kassi Agapoff each scored 6 points. Lizbeth Zavala added 2 points. Kierra Johnson pulled down 7 rebounds. Hawkins and Lincoln both passed for 3 assists.

(Santa Rosa Junior College Athletics)