Women’s Basketball: No. 8 LBCC rolls to 31-point win over No. 9 Canyons

Freshman guard Jasmine Williams (pictured) scored 15 points while three other Vikings scored in double-figures as the Long Beach City College women's basketball team cruised to a 75-41 win over visiting College on the Canyons in Round 2 of the 2013 CCCAA Southern California Regional Playoffs on Friday at the Hall of Champions Gym.

With the victory, No. 8 seeded Long Beach improved to 24-4 to tie a school record for wins. No. 9 Canyons closed its season with a 20-9 mark.
  
LBCC's pressure defense was too much for Canyons to handle. The Cougars turned the ball over eight times over the first five minutes of the game and totaled 20 turnovers at halftime.

Holding a three-point lead (14-11), the Vikings put together a 10-2 run to jump ahead 24-13 at the 6:31 mark in the first. Freshmen Shakeena Benton and Destinn Romain both nailed three-pointers during the surge, accounting for two of the 10 three-point baskets Long Beach sank in the game.

Minutes later, the Vikings closed out the first half with an 11-0 run including seven point by Williams.

Long Beach led 35-18 at the break and was never threatened. A 15-2 run in the second half by the Vikings extended their advantage to 72-38 with 2:35 left in the game.

Benton scored 14 points and had four steals for Long Beach. Sophomore Kaaron King and Romain both posted 12 points. Freshman Crystal Cockerhan came off the bench to grab 11 rebounds and block five shots.

Canyons shot just 27 percent from the field (14 for 52) and totaled 31 turnovers. Shawn Kolani led the Cougars with 16 points while Hope Smith had 14 rebounds.

Long Beach advances to Round 3 of the SoCal playoffs and will face the winner of No. 1 Mt. San Antonio College and No. 17 Los Angeles Pierce College who play on Saturday. The third-round game will be played on March 6 at the home court of the higher seed.

Photo by John Fajardo