3C2A Women's Basketball Quarterfinal #2: Butte runs past Long Beach

(WALNUT) -- As the state's #1-ranked team for nearly the entire 2023-24 regular season, Butte College has been on a mission since settling for state runner-up last season. The Roadrunners made a statement on Thursday in blowing out South #4 Long Beach City, 84-60. Butte (30-1) extended its winning streak to 27 games.

In the first quarter, Butte jumped out to a 15-5 lead, including two triples by Madalynn Bassett. The Roadrunners extended it to 25-10 by the end of the period, and doubled the score on the Vikings in the third quarter (27-13) to all but put the game out of reach at 68-39.

Using all 10 players and running a relentless fast break, Jocelyn Medina led the way with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. Morgan Trigueiro added 14 points, Campbell Vieg 13 points, six assists and three steals, Bassett 11 points, and Aubrey Prunty 10 off the bench. Sarah Tait contributed eight points with six rebounds.

"We've played an up-tempo style all season so I felt we had to play that way for 40 minutes, which we did," said Butte head coach Tyler Newton. "We were concerned that if we had slowed down at all it would have benefited Long Beach, which had good size in the post.

"For us to have nine freshmen and just one returning player from last year's squad and do what we have accomplished is amazing. We went to LA twice for tournaments because we wanted to play the best of the best and that has gotten us battled tested. We are on a mission to finish the job this year."

For Long Beach (20-10), Jezelle Moreno totaled 12 points and nine rebounds, Chioma Okenwa reached a double-double on 11 points and 11 boards, and Haily Garcia had 10 points. All-State player Brillana Boyd was limited to six points.

"I think regardless of what happened today, that's something that we're very proud of," said LBCC head coach Tay Adams of the college's first appearance at the state tournament in 32 years.

"Being so young and having the opportunity of the majority of our players coming back next year, means we're just getting started. We're extremely proud of ourselves for making it this far, but it's not over."

The Vikings had a 12-game win streak snapped and had beaten the only team to defeat Butte this season when it upset SoCal #1 seed Mt. San Antonio in the regional finals.

Butte made 33 of 60 from the field (55 percent) and was sizzling from 3-point range, making 9 of 17 from beyond the arc (53 percent). Bassett and Medina each hit three treys and Trigueiro two.

Butte now faces Glendale in the semifinals on Saturday, Mar. 16 at 1 p.m.

Release by Robert Lewis, 3C2A State Tourney Women's Basketball SID/CCCWBCA Publicist