Sports in the News

Women's Basketball Stops Ventura Again, Wins 10th Rose City Title

For the second time in 2009, the Pasadena City College women's basketball team stopped a Ventura College undefeated streak. On Saturday, the Lancers captured their own Rose City Classic tournament title for the 10th time in 12 seasons, knocking off the state No. 1-ranked Pirates, 81-72.

The defending state champion Lancers (10-2) were ranked No. 2 coming into this week's play and are responsible for each of the last two losses by Ventura. The Pirates were 12-0 coming into the Rose City finale, and were 34-0 when they were beaten by PCC in the CCCAA state semifinals in March.

PCC has won each of the last seven chapters of the December host tournament.

Pasadena held a 33-26 lead at halftime, but Ventura came out gunning with a 7-0 run to start the second half to tie the game at 33.

With the score tied at 40, PCC went on to outscore Ventura 16-6 over the next five minutes to take a commanding 56-46 advantage. Ending the run, PCC had four different players score buckets on layups by Anna Shahinian, Katie Nelson, and Cherisa Sellers, followed by a 3-point bomb by Stephanie DeFrance.

Tournament MVP Kim Smith led PCC with 24 points. Dominique Scott earned a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds, while DeFrance, a redshirt freshman guard, added 12 points. Nelson delivered 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals in another strong job by the reserve forward.

Smith haunted Ventura in a mini deja vu performance of her state semifinal, 35-point game against the Pirates. The sophomore guard tied a PCC school record for highest free throw percentage by making all 10 of her line attempts. That brought back memories of her state tournament record 23 free throws made (29 attempts) at the Final 8.

Overall, PCC made 17 of 21 free throws for a season-best 81 percent efficiency.

Erika Ward led Ventura with 21 points and Amanda Padilla added 20 points and 8 assists.

Other Saturday Rose City finals:
LA Pierce 78, West Los Angeles 58 (third place)
San Bernardino Valley 68, Santa Monica 52 (consolation final)

2009 All-Rose City Classic Tournament Team
MVP - Kim Smith, PASADENA
Dominique Scott, PASADENA
Stephanie DeFrance, PASADENA
Amanda Padilla, Ventura
Chanelle Brennan, Ventura
Tess Williams, LA Pierce
Ashley Berumen, West Los Angeles
Kimberly Kipp, San Bernardino Valley

[Photo--Stephanie DeFrance brings the ball up the floor for the Lancers in their Rose City Classic clinching, 81-72  victory over Ventura Saturday at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium, image by Richard Quinton.]

Release Date: 12/12/09
Robert Lewis, Sports Information
Phone: 626-585-7018, Email: rmlewis@pasadena.edu

Revised February 8, 2013 by rmlewis@pasadena.edu