VC, Mt. SAC to battle for state supremacy

VC, Mt. SAC to battle for state supremacy
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March 15, 2014

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By Joe Curley, Ventura County Star

The ultimate prize will be the reward when the Ventura College and Mount San Antonio College women's basketball teams meet yet again Sunday afternoon at 1.

But there is the added ingredient of history to this CCCAA state championship game — VC's ninth and Mt. SAC's eighth — at Cerritos College.

By battling each other on the final Sunday of the season, California Community College's dueling dynasties will break their tie for most state titles.

Ventura (1996, '97, 2000, '01, '02, '10) and Mt. SAC (2004, '06, '07, '08, '12, '13) are deadlocked at six apiece.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Ventura sophomore Makayla Morrison said. "And we're all really close. It's really awesome that we get to do this together."

For his part, Ventura coach Ned Mircetic threw cold water on the historical implication.

"When it all settles," Mircetic said, "it's just another game. It really is."

The title game is a rematch of the 2002 state final, which VC won 63-59 behind 16 points apiece by Monique Taylor and Monica Hang to complete the first three-peat in state history.

It remains Mt. SAC's only loss in a state final.

"I think about it every time I see Monica Hang or Mo Taylor or just look up in our gym," Mt. SAC coach Brian Crichlow said. "We talk about it all the time. Being a young coaching staff, trying to figure it out and chasing the mystique, history and tradition of Ventura College."

This title decider will be a showdown of an elite offense and defense.

Ventura (31-3), averaging a state-best 83.0 points per game, splashed nine 3-pointers in the second half of its 87-73 state semifinal win over Fresno City on Friday.

"In 17 years as a coach, I've never seen a team shoot as well as they have all year. .. We knew what we were going to face," Fresno coach Brian Tessler told the Fresno Bee Friday. "To their credit, they maintained it. I told the girls after the game: 'You didn't lose this game, Ventura won.' And there's a difference."

Suffocating Mt. SAC (29-4) held San Joaquin Delta to 29.2 percent shooting in its 51-47 semifinal win. The Mustangs were held 25 points below their season average.

"It's a very flexible defense," Mircetic said. "They can hit you in the full court. They can stifle you in the half court. They can play you straight up or double team. They have the whole (spectrum) at their disposal.

"We're going to see it all and we have to be ready for it on every possession."

VC point guard Lisa Marie Sanchez, who suffered a back injury on a hard foul in the first half Friday, practiced Saturday without restriction, saying she was "sore but fine."

She is also prepared to be further roughed up by Mt. SAC's physical brand of defense Sunday.

"It's that time of year," Mircetic said. "He's going to show us his whole defensive playbook. We're going to show them our full offensive playbook."

Mt. SAC only returned two players from last year's 34-0 state champion. Sophomore Sabrina Norton comes off the bench to lead the team in scoring (10.8 points per game).

But the freshman class, led by point guard Shaela Flynn and sisters Sashanique and Lahanique Youngblood, has been fearless.

Mt. SAC showed no fear in handing VC a 63-54 loss Dec. 7 in Visalia. The Pirates have won 24 of the 25 games since.

"I think we woke up a sleeping giant," Crichlow said. "They've been rolling ever since. That's the scary thing."

Demand for the rooter bus provided by VC was high enough Saturday for the school to reserve a second bus.

Athletic director Will Cowen said any available seats will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis at the VC physical education office at 9 a.m. Sunday morning. The bus will leave at 10.



Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/mar/15/vc-mt-sac-to-battle-for-state-supremacy/#ixzz2w63I7HJk 
- vcstar.com