SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Aariah Fox sparked No. 14 Santa Barbara City College with her fourth double-double of the season as the Vaqueros secured a 78-62 victory over Cuesta College on Wednesday.
All 11 Santa Barbara players who entered the game recorded points and made the most of their minutes.
"Tonight was a testament that we are a team that scores by committee," head coach Sandrine Krul said. "From a coach's standpoint, I love it because it goes along with our core team values of being selfless."
The Cougars used their physicality and tenacity to give the Vaqueros all they could handle. Fox led Santa Barbara in scoring in the first quarter with six points, while Amarisse Camargo added five. The Vaqueros led 20-14 heading into the second quarter.
The team lost leading scorer and rebounder Isis Poteet a few minutes into the second quarter after she took an elbow to the nose. Santa Barbara responded with a balanced offensive effort. Fox, Siena Hoban and Lily Losak each recorded four points to help the Vaqueros take a 43-34 lead into halftime.
"We can sub a player in, and the level of good basketball continues," Krul said.
The Vaqueros hit a cold stretch in the third quarter, shooting just 4-of-18 from the field and getting outscored 15-10. They responded in the final frame, outscoring Cuesta 25-13 to secure their fifth straight win.
"We had 22 steals, and our best quarter of the game was the fourth, with multiple players getting steals and converting," Krul said. "That also is a testament to our team's mental toughness and resolve."
Fox finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, seven steals and a block. Hoban added 13 points, four rebounds, four assists, five steals and a blocked shot. Kennedy Nutter recorded 10 points, three rebounds, three assists and a block.
The Vaqueros are now 17-4 on the season and 5-1 in conference play.
"After the loss to Moorpark, the team decided to set team goals, and No. 1 on the list was to go 5-1 in the first round [of conference play]," Krul said. "After the game, they reminded us that goal was complete."
Santa Barbara goes on the road to take on No. 4 Moorpark College on Saturday.
