South Coast Conference Final Women's Basketball 2015-16 Report

A remarkable year for the South Coast Conference in women's basketball ended with an all SCC final in the CCCAA State Championship Game as Mt. San Antonio rallied from 19 points down to win the state title over North Division familiar foe East Los Angeles, 57-55 at Las Positas College. Mt. SAC finished with a 34-1 overall record and a 25-game winning streak.

SCC North champion Mt. SAC played in its fifth straight championship final and matched the most state titles by a college with 7, tying Ventura. The other Mounties state titles all occurred in the past 12 years--2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013. 

It is the first all SCC state title game since 2004 when Mt. SAC defeated Pasadena City for its first state crown. It is the 11th state crown by a SCC team out of 33 state tournaments played (*LA Trade Tech also won in 1985 as not a conference member). Fullerton was the SCC champion in 1978 when it won the first women's state title. A SCC member team has made it to the state championship game 17 out of a possible 33 tourneys (19 in total due to the two all SCC finals of 2004, 2016).  Since 2002, a SCC team has advanced to the state championship game 12 times. The longest consecutive streak was 2004-2009 (6 in row).

The original South No. 6 seed East Los Angeles (24-10) accomplished the feat of making two consecutive appearances to the state final four. The Huskies were tied for 2nd with both Pasadena and LA Trade Tech during conference play. ELAC's state final appearance is its best finish in school history.

Mt. SAC, ELAC, PCC and SCC South Division champion Long Beach City all advanced as far as the SoCal Regional Quarterfinals.

LBCC (24-6) was the No. 4 seed and was eliminated by No. 5 Irvine Valley in Round 3.

PCC (18-14) was the No. 14 seed and upset No. 3 Ventura before losing to ELAC in Round 3.

Cerritos (20-11) was No. 12 seed and lost to Irvine Valley in Round 2.

LA Trade Tech (13-13) did not earn a playoff seed but had the distinction of winning games against SCC playoff opponents ELAC, PCC and Cerritos.

El Camino (14-13) did not earn a playoff seed but did defeat Cerritos and No. 15 seed Chaffey in the regular season.

Also of note, Chaffey (16-12) and No. 19 seed Rio Hondo (14-14), who both join the SCC next season, each earned playoff spots. 

The current SCC teams combined for a 12-4 record in the postseason.

Mt. SAC's Jonnae Vermillion was the state tournament MVP and also on the All-State Tournament Team was the Mounties' Alize Lofton and the Huskies' pair of Jessica Sanchez and Allissa Gomez.

For the regular season, Mt. SAC's Vermillion and Gina Henderson were named to the All-State First Team. Mt. SAC's Lofton and LBCC's Sopavy Seng were named Second Team. PCC's Judith Espinoza, El Camino's Meghan Peneueta and LBCC's Guadalupe Cruz were selected Third Team. Seven of the 18 players selected were from the SCC.