The Pasadena City College women's basketball team decided to make the most of its #19 seed and started the Southern California Regional Playoffs with a mild upset at #14 San Diego Mesa, 46-44, on Wednesday night.
It was the first postseason victory for head coach Joe Peron's Lancers since defeating Palomar in 2019 and it marked the 60th postseason game for PCC under Peron's leadership (38-22 record, .633 win percentage).
Center Tena Ikidi broke the PCC single-season rebounds record set 30 years ago by Biljana Bosanac (445) with 17, giving her a state-leading 454 rebounds. Ikidi added 11 points. Ironically, Bosanac was announced as a 2023 PCC Hall of Fame inductee last month.
Naomi Turner led the way for the Lancers in scoring 15 points while adding four steals and three assists. Emily Trinh contributed nine points and five boards while Tatiana Ayala pulled down 10 rebounds (two points). Maiya Villanueva was limited to just five points.
PCC trailed 12-7 after one quarter, then cut it to 22-21 by halftime. In the third quarter, the Lancers defense really stood out as they outscored the Olympians, 12-5, limiting them to one field goal in 13 attempts and making four steals, two by Villanueva in forcing seven turnovers. Turner scored seven of her points in the period as PCC grabbed a 33-27 lead.
In the fourth quarter, the Lancers went on a mini, 7-0 run capped by two Turner free throws to make it 40-29. Leading 43-33, Mesa made one final surge as it scored eight straight points finished on a 3-pointer by Reese Hohenthaner, cutting it to 43-41 with 2:16 left. Turner answered with a jumper on the next possession for what proved to be the winning basket.
With three seconds left, San Diego Mesa (17-13) went for the win but Emma Fitzgerald's 3-pointer clanked off the rim to preserve the Pasadena triumph.
"Our ladies were resilient," Peron said. "They fought through a loud, screaming Mesa crowd that ignited the Mesa team late in the fourth quarter. I'm so proud of our team for trusting each other and coming out on top."
Now PCC turns its attention to another chapter in the long, South Coast Conference rivalry with Mt. San Antonio College. The Lancers, who played and lost to the Mounties in the 2004 state championship game, will visit the #3 seed in Walnut on Saturday, Feb. 25 in Round 2 of the SoCal Regionals. Tip-off is 7 p.m.
Mt. SAC (21-7), winners of the SCC title for the third straight season, defeated PCC twice in conference play. The Mounties hold a current 9-game winning streak v. PCC in their head-to-head matchups since 2018.