No. 1 women’s basketball wins 67-41

MONTEREY PARK, CALIF. — The No. 1 state-ranked East Los Angeles College women’s basketball team defeated Rio Hondo College 67-41 in South Coast Conference North Division play.

With the win, the Huskies improve to 23-2 overall and 6-1 in the SCC North. ELAC remains en-route to its first conference championship in more than two decades. In order to win it, ELAC needs to win its final regular-season games. Tonight, ELAC won the first of its four final conference games.

ELAC has a big hurdle on Friday. The Huskies face crosstown rival No. 12 LA Trade Tech College (21-5, 5-2) at 7 p.m. in the South Gym. A big crowd is expected.

Rio Hondo (4-20, 0-7) doubled its first-period points from its first conference meeting with the Huskies, which ELAC won by an almost identical score, 68-41.

The Huskies led 7-0 after sophomore guard Allissa Gomez (Roosevelt HS) swished a three-pointer from downtown at the 7:45 mark in the first period. Rio Hondo followed with a 5-0 run, its biggest of the night, to pull within two, 7-5.

ELAC sophomore guard Katrina Reeves (Orlando, FL / Dr. Phillips HS) scored a layup with two seconds in the first period and ELAC led 21-12.

Husky freshman guard Sarah Gurrola (El Rancho HS) scored on a swish from beyond the arc with 3:01 left in the second and ELAC led 30-19. Rio Hondo then scored four straight points and the Huskies led at the break, 30-23.

Gomez netted a three-point basket at the 7:12 mark in the third period and gave the Huskies a double-digit lead they would not relinquish.

ELAC freshman guard Monica Garcia (Garfield HS) scored a game-high 17 points and had nine rebounds. Garcia connected on 80 percent (8-of-10) of her shots. She averages shooting 55.5 percent per game, third best in the state.

Gomez scored 12 points. Sophomore center Gloria Ortiz (Roosevelt HS) had a team-high 13 rebounds. Destinee Garr had 13 rebounds for the Roadrunners.

ELAC had seven blocked shots, three from sophomore center Anastasia Tsybaeva (Burbank HS). Tsybaeva has 18 blocked shots in the last five games. Her 2.7 average per game is third best in the state.

The Huskies out-rebounded Rio Hondo 56-39. “Defense wins games,” said ELAC sophomore guard Wuanyei Ah-Hing (West Auckland, New Zealand / Massey HS).

In other SCC North action tonight, Trade Tech defeated Chaffey College (12-13, 2-5), 68-43. No. 3 Mt. San Antonio College (25-2, 6-1) won 76-53 at No. 17 Pasadena City College (18-8, 2-5).

story submitted by Tadzio Garcia