Tournament Winners Dominate CCCWBCA Poll

[ November 15, 2004 Poll ]

In the first regular season poll of the 2004-2005 CCCWBCA Women's Basketball Season, four tournament winners populate the top five. Defending Champion Mt. San Antonio as well as Pasadena retained their respective #1 and #2 rankings. Santa Rosa leapfrogged to the three-spot. Ventura College was idle and dropped to fourth. Antelope Valley College pushed their way to #5.

Mt. San Antonio cruised to the championship game of their tournament. Although Riverside was defeated 52-46 to give Mt. SAC the title, their wins over Compton and then-ranked #5 College of the Canyons got the panel of coaches, reporters and sports information directors to reconsider the #16 preseason ranking. They landed at #7. That was the biggest upward movement in the poll.

Pasadena City College took their event by averaging 40-point margins in the three rounds. Despite dropping the title game 76-46, Chaffey rose to #15. Contra Costa was last week's #15 and was nearly eliminated by unranked Desert, 46-42. Their 18-point consolation championship victory over Palomar did not save their placement in the top 20, but kept them ranked in the North Region at #11.

Merced (#6) provided themselves quite a hurdle by inviting five state-ranked squads to their gym in the Tournament of the Week. Santa Rosa Junior College slogged past three of them to take the title with 55 points to Foothill's 48. The Owls elevated six to a #13 rank. Merced was not as fortunate with a near-upset at the hands of Oxnard in the opener and losses to Foothill and Los Angeles Valley. L.A. Valley debuted in the top 10 while Merced descended to #16. Cypress eliminated #4 Reedley on their way to the consolation title and rose to #11. Reedley fell to 17th.

Antelope Valley College began their program in 1982. On Sunday they made history by winning their first tournament, hosted by San Diego Mesa. Bakersfield debuted in the top 20 with wins over #17 Fullerton and #13 Cerritos in the third-place game. Fullerton stayed above Bakersfield at #18, but Cerritos dropped into the also-rans. Sophomore guard Shalonie Hutchinson (5'8") of Antelope Valley was named Most Valuable Player, also an Antelope Valley first.

San Joaquin Delta College was the only ranked five to enter the Cosumnes River tourney, but were shocked by American River in the semifinals, 77-67. Diablo Valley dashed American River's title hopes the following day in a 45-43 heartbreaker. San Mateo evened their record in the consolation final with a 5-point win over Chabot.

When College of the Sequoias' tournament began, none of the eight colleges were ranked in the state. When it ended, Sequoias became the third team to win their own tourney and earned a #19 COA ranking. They met conference rival Fresno City College in the championship game and won 67-58 after being down 17. Shasta College joined the legion of teams with three wins after a double-overtime 91-85 thriller with Ohlone for third place. Citrus overcame their own 16-point deficit against Cuesta for the consolation championship. Sequoias 5'7" sophomore guard Gigi Herrera earned the MVP nod after scoring 34 points and snaring 10 rebounds vs. Fresno.

The first game of the season was the North Region Game of the Week. Reedley hosted Sacramento and had a great afternoon with a 99-49 victory which ended up saving their placement in the state ranking. The score for the Southern counterpart has yet to be reported.

Two possible State Finalists meet on Saturday. #7 Riverside Community College will try to use their home court advantage to overtake #2 Pasadena at 7:00 pm in the South Region Game of the Week. Up north, City College of San Francisco (North Region #13) travels to San Jose City College (State #12) in hopes of moving into the top 10 of the region. Tip-off is scheduled for Friday at 7:00 pm. The Tourney of the Week goes to Glendale Community College with #4 Ventura beginning their season. #5 Antelope Valley will be there going for their second-straight trophy, but #18 Fullerton College will provide an obstacle.

Greg Murphy gregm@altair.csustan.edu