PF LaShay Bagsby had 29 pts and 14 rebs and PG Amber Williams had 21 pts and 8 asts as #11 Bakersfield (24-5, 9-1) built a huge lead and then held on for an 86-80 win over host LA Valley (18-13, 6-5) in WSC-South action Saturday night.
Bakersfield had a 21-point lead midway through the second half, leading 61-40, but saw Valley close the gap to a single point at 77-76 with 1:20 left to play and Williams on the bench, having fouled out. But Bakersfield got a couple of key plays from SG Taylor Abercrombie, who moved to PG in Williams’ absence, and went 5-for-5 from the free throw line in the final minute to hold on for the win.
Early on, it looked like Bakersfield was on its way to a rout, building a 40-19 lead late in the first half. Valley rallied to close the gap to 11 after consecutive threes by SG Irina Sharf, but Bakersfield still held a comfortable 45-32 lead at the break.
And in the second half, Bakersfield again pushed its lead to 21 points at 61-40 on a play on which Valley’s top scorer, Ctr Natasha Thomas, received a technical foul that was also her 4th personal foul.
But then Valley began to rally, closing the gap to 10 points at 69-59 after a pair of free throws by Thomas. And even after Thomas fouled out moments later, the rally continued thanks largely to PG Saida Johnson. The 5-5 sophomore made two free throws to make it an 8-point game at 71-63 with 4:13 left. Then just over a minute later, she scored on a driving lay-up to make it a 5-point game at 73-68. Then she knocked down a pull-up jumper to make it a 3-point game at 73-70 with just under 3 minutes left.
Bakersfield got a basket from Bagsby to make it 75-70, but then Johnson scored for Valley, drew a foul (Williams’ 5th) and made the free throw to make it 75-73. Then Bagsby scored again for Bakersfield, but Valley SF Tatiana Moger drained a three to make it a 1-point game at 77-76 with 1:20 remaining.
But Bakersfield managed to hold on for the win. Abercrombie scored first, making it 79-76 with 1:09 left. Then after a miss by Moger on a potential game-tying three, Bagsby got the rebound and got the ball to Abercrombie. She passed to SF Neha Joshi, who scored, drew a foul and made the free throw to make it 82-76 with 48 seconds left. SG Meagan Atkins and Abercrombie each made two more free throws in the final 26 seconds to seal the win for Bakersfield.
For Bakersfield, Bagsby and Williams led the way but they had plenty of help. Joshi also posted a double-double with 15 pts and 10 rebs. And Abercrombie played a solid game with 9 pts, 6 asts, 3 rebs and 2 steals. Centers Catie Mueller (4 pts, 5 rebs, 3 blk, 3 stl) and Sarah Pinner (2 pts, 3 rebs, 1 blk, 3 stl) were standouts on defense, keeping Valley’s Thomas in check.
For Valley, Johnson led the way with 17 pts, all in the second half, and 8 asts. Moger and Thomas each had 13 pts; Thomas also had 8 rebs before fouling out with 5:36 left. PF Ashley DeBose came off the bench and was quite impressive with 12 pts, 11 rebs and 5 blocked shots.
The win keeps Bakersfield just one game behind first-place Canyons entering Wednesday’s showdown in Bakersfield. In the teams’ first meeting, Canyons posted a 92-78 win. Game time is 7:30 Wednesday.
Box score
Saturday, February 10, 2007 – 7:30 pm
At the Monarch Sports Pavilion, LA Valley College, Valley Glen
WSC-South (Women)
Bakersfield 86:
24-Taylor Abercrombie, SG – 3/12 fg, 3/5 ft, 3 reb, 6 ast, 2 stl, 1 pf, 9 pts
32-Amber Williams, PG – 9/17 fg, 6/9 ft, 3 reb, 8 ast, 3 stl, 5 pf, 25 pts
44-Neha Joshi, SF – 4/7 fg, 7/9 ft, 10 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 4 pf, 15 pts
45-Catie Mueller, C – 2/7 fg, 0/2 ft, 5 reb, 3 blk, 3 stl, 2 pf, 4 pts
55-LaShay Bagsby, PF – 12/19 fg, 5/8 ft, 14 reb, 3 ast, 2 blk, 2 stl, 2 pf, 29 pts
52-Sarah Pinner, C – 1/3 fg, 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 3 stl, 4 pf, 2 pts
22-Jackie Clare, F – 0/1 fg, 0/1 ft, 3 reb, 0 pts
33-Meagan Atkins, G – 0/1 fg, 2/2 ft, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 3 pf, 2 pts
team rebounds: 5
Totals: 31/67 fg (.463), 23/36 ft (.639), 46 reb, 22 ast, 7 blk, 16 stl, 21 pf, 86 pts
3-pt fg (1): Williams
Fouled Out: Williams 2:06 left
Turnovers (22): Joshi 5, Bagsby 4, Williams 3, Pinner 3, Clare 3, Abercrombie 2, Mueller 2
LA Valley 80:
1-Keesha Pringle, SG – 2/5 fg, 2/8 ft, 1 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl, 1 pf, 6 pts
3-Saida Johnson, PG – 5/16 fg, 7/8 ft, 2 reb, 8 ast, 1 stl, 5 pf, 17 pts
4-Kristal Douglas, PF – 0/3 fg, 2/2 ft, 1 stl, 1 pf, 2 pts
31-Tatiana Moger, SF – 5/12 fg, 0/2 ft, 1 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 3 pf, 13 pts
35-Natasha Thomas, C – 5/8 fg, 3/4 ft, 8 reb, 2 blk, 5 pf, 13 pts
50-Erica Shelby, C – 1/3 fg, 2 reb, 1 pf, 2 pts
34-Eboney Robinson, F – 1/5 fg, 1/2 ft, 8 reb, 1 pf, 3 pts
21-Irina Sharf, G – 3/7 fg, 2 reb, 1 stl, 1 pf, 2 pts
24-Ashley DeBose, F – 5/9 fg, 1/2 ft, 12 reb, 5 blk, 1 stl, 2 pf, 11 pts
5-Diana Martinez, G – 2/3 fg, 1 reb, 4 pts
team rebounds: 7
Totals: 29/71 fg (.408), 16/28 ft (.571), 44 reb, 16 ast, 7 blk, 9 stl, 23 pf, 80 pts
3-pt fg (6): Moger 3, Sharf 3
Technical Foul: Thomas
Fouled Out: Thomas 5:36 left, Johnson 0:08 left
Turnovers (23): Johnson 7, Pringle 6, Moger 3, Shelby 2, DeBose 2, Douglas, Thomas, Martinez
Halftime Score: Bakersfield 45, LA Valley 32
Updated Records: Bakersfield (#11-South) 24-5, 9-1 in WSC-S; LA Valley 19-13, 7-5 in WSC-South
BC led by 21 in each half. Valley closed the margin to 1 at 77-76 with 1:20 left but BC held on.
