For the first time this season the Cerritos women’s basketball team has dropped back-to-back games, with a 80-78 overtime loss to LA Trade Tech.
The Falcons had the clear advantage in size over the Beavers however, went away from the paint down the last stretch of the game.
“Some of our bigs, me especially, [weren’t] getting down in a [defensive] stance to guard a guard,” sophomore forward/center Ashley Flores said.
At the end of the overtime period Flores had an open 15-foot jump shot that just wouldn’t go down.
Despite the miss head coach Trisha Raniewicz felt as though the team had opportunities to seal the game and just could not.
“It’s just an x’s and o’s type thing, matchups and things of that nature. When they went small we were forced to go small or sit in a zone and [they] were lights out tonight,” Raniewicz said.
“I thought Miranda [Valentin] and Ashley [Flores]…had some chances to win it at the end, [they were] all good looks,” she added.
Raniewicz displayed a profound trust for her players down the stretch. So much so that sophomore guard Kennedi Cooper took the last shot of overtime despite having freshman guard/forward Allyson O’Brien open on the left wing.
“She didn’t see her and I wanted her to run a different play if she would’ve given it up I’m not sure it would’ve even been a shot,” Raniewicz admitted.
Cooper also weighed in on the topic saying, “It’s a lot to be put under pressure like that, it’s a big responsibility. I don’t regret it because my coach knows what I’m capable of and she puts me in those positions because she knows what I can do.”
She also had a shot at the end of regulation in which a lot of contact was made for both squads however, the referees let the play run its course, which Cooper admired and even agreed with.
“No, it was a fair game. I just lost control of the ball at the end,” Cooper said.
Cooper struggled on the night scoring four points, shooting just 1-12 from the field but adding five rebounds and four assists.
However, her next chance to get back on the floor will be at Pasadena City College Friday, Jan. 15.
Despite being open O’Brien defused the situation quick saying, “I trust Ken [Kennedi Cooper] a lot, that’s her move right there that floater. I was on fire of course I wanted the ball but if she thinks she has an open lane, she’s our point guard.”
It was a good night for O’Brien, as she finished with 19 points, hitting four three-pointers, including one early in the overtime period in which it looked like a lot of contact was made.
“I cramped! If you want me to be honest I was cramping on defense. I fell, like I couldn’t feel my legs,” O’Brien admitted.
Contact was the name of the game, well, for Cerritos at least. The Falcons committed 31 personal fouls resulting in 49 free throw attempts for the Beavers.
Sophomore guard Jazzlyn Moore accounted for 20 free throws, making 19, while freshman guard Dynasti Shelby shot 10-13 from the line.
Raniewicz said, “The game is not going to be on the referees. It’s on us to go out and win the game.”
Former head coach Karen Welliver was in attendance during the crushing overtime loss and offered some advice to the struggling women’s team.
“Keep doing what [you’re] doing. [You’re] right there in every game battling, they cheer for each other so keep cheering and keep fighting,” Welliver concluded.
