By Lloyd Cobb
The City College women’s basketball team showcased its defensive prowess, securing a 58-43 victory over Shasta College in Saturday’s second round of the Northern California Regional playoffs.
In the matchup against Shasta, the City College defense was dominant, holding Shasta to a 29% shooting average and forcing 25 turnovers. The Rams recorded 10 blocks and 16 steals, setting the tone early and maintaining pressure throughout the game.
Offensively, freshman guard Alessandra Nelson led the charge with 13 points, complemented by five rebounds, four blocks and two steals. Sophomore guard Madison Thomas contributed 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals, while forward Stephania Salazar anchored the defense with nine rebounds and added 2 points.
Guard Jayden Borgna facilitated the offense with a team-high five assists alongside 3 points. Off the bench, forward Jacqueline Cox provided a perfect shooting performance, scoring 13 points on 5-out-of-5 shots, including a three-pointer, and adding 3 rebounds.
“I’m proud of our perimeter defense. It was a great collective team effort,” said Head Coach Derrick Lau, who praised his team’s defensive efforts. This win propelled the Rams into the regional finals, extending their impressive winning streak to 12 games.
Following their win, City College went on to play the formidable San Joaquin Delta College in the regional finals in an away game. The Mustang’s balanced attack and strong rebounding presented a significant challenge for the Rams, resulting in a devastating 86-56 loss, thus concluding the team’s run for the state championship title.