Women's Basketball Takes Down El Camino

MONTEREY PARK --- The state’s No. 4-ranked East Los Angeles College defeated No. 8 El Camino College, 73-62, in a South Coast Conference divisional crossover game in front of 152 boisterous fans Jan. 30 in Torrance.

The game had 22 lead changes and five ties, but it was the Huskies defense that was the difference.

ELAC, 22-2 overall, had 17 steals and helped El Camino (16-7) to a season-high 27 turnovers.

“Our offense kept us in the game, but our defense won it,” ELAC freshman guard Dynasti Shelby said. “It was a close game. In the end our defense worked together…and we built a big lead after a very close game.”

An El Camino 10-2 rally knotted the game at 61-all with 3:43 left. ELAC answered with a five points, all by sophomore forward Jocelyne Diaz who connected on a jump shot and three consecutive free throws.

ELAC had a 66-61 lead with 2:19 left. The ELAC contingent took over vocally and the Huskies never looked back. When the game ended the entire crowd acknowledged play by standing and cheering while both teams shook hands.

After a 38-all tie with 16:42 left in the game, ELAC outscored El Camino by eight points highlighted by five Husky steals by freshmen guards, Vianey Chavez (three) and Olivia Ochoa (two).

The Warriors held Ochoa, ELAC’s top scorer, to five first half points. Ochoa, however, finished with 16 points, six steals and nine rebounds.

The Warrior bench called out sophomore ELAC guard Kyla Martin-Burnley’s eight first-half attempted shots before she took them, but it didn’t help. Martin-Burnley scored 14 points in the first half ending with a game-high 24.   

ELAC sophomore guard Kristina Tatikian connected on three 3-point shots within a span of 2:12 minutes in the second half to spark a late ELAC run.

El Camino sophomore guard Nisja Bass led the Warrior’s offense scoring a team-high 18 points including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc and was perfect from the charity line (4-for-4).

Warrior teammate sophomore forward Shontalene Trudeau also led El Camino with a double-double scoring 14 points, getting 10 rebounds and blocking three shots.

Both colleges close out divisional crossover play on Wednesday Feb. 4. With 7 p.m. tip-offs.

ELAC will host Los Angeles Southwest College (6-14) while El Camino is at No. 1 Mt. San Antonio College (25-0).