The Pasadena City College women's basketball team enters the year 2023 above .500 with a 9-8 overall record following its third place finish at the annual San Jose City Lady Jaguar Tournament held Dec. 27-29.
Head Coach Joe Peron, in his 26th year in charge of the program, saw the '22-23 team already match the entire win total of last season's disappointing 9-16 squad as the long-time coach is hoping to return the Lancers to the postseason.
The program had a streak of 19 straight playoff appearances end in '21-22 following the sport itself losing a season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in '20-21.
At San Jose, the Lancers opened the 8-team tourney with a 76-62 victory over College of the Redwoods. All-Tournament selection and letterman point guard Maiya Villanueva scored 17 points, dished out six assists and made five steals while the PCC bench did its part with 34 points.
Reserve frosh guard Bryannae Robinson hit a series of medium-range jumpers and inside banks, making her first seven shots from the field as part of her season-high 15 points plus nine rebounds. Backup center Tatiana Ayala tallied nine points and nine rebounds and reserve first-year guard Haylie Sagarra had her most productive contest on six points, six rebounds, four steals and three assists. Also off the bench, guard-forward Atira Davis collected four points and four rebounds.
Starting transfer center Tena Ikidi fought through foul trouble to record a double-double on 12 points and 11 rebounds, plus four assists.
In the semifinals, unranked PCC battled host and state #20-ranked San Jose, leading at one point in the fourth quarter, before losing, 48-40. It was Pasadena's lowest scoring game of the season. Trailing 25-21 at halftime, the Lancers rallied to take a 36-35 lead on a Sheridan Orange jumper with 8:30 left in the fourth period. The Jaguars' top scorer and eventual tourney MVP Izzy Campbell took over two 3-pointers and four free throws down the stretch to help SJCC to the win.
Ikidi led PCC by making 7-for-10 from the field as part of her 15 points as she tied a season-high in rebounds (21) while blocking a season best seven shots. Letterman forward Naomi Turner added nine points, 12 rebounds, and five steals. Robinson contributed six points, five steals and four boards while Villanueva had an off night shooting to finish with six points and four assists.
PCC won the third place final over Chabot, 69-51, behind Villanueva's 22 points and her hot shooting from long range. The returning All-South Coast Conference North Division First Team selection hit 7 of 10 shots from 3-point range and passed out a season-high nine assists. Ikidi had an exceptional performance on eight points, 17 rebounds, five blocks and four steals. Robinson, who is quickly becoming the team's "sixth player" off the bench, added nine points and six rebounds.
Orange, a frosh starting guard, hit 4-for-5 from the field for eight points, Davis scored eight points (pair of 3s) and passed three helpers, and sophomore starting forward Emily Trinh, one of the team's best defensive players, chipped in six points. Backup center Italee Montana added two rebounds.
At the Moorpark College Tommy Arellano North-South Showcase on Dec. 15-16, the Lancers dropped two games, losing to Chabot, 69-62, and to state #1-ranked Palomar, 81-50. Against Chabot, Villanueva had 14 points and six assists, Robinson 13 points and six rebounds, Orange 11 points, and Ikidi 10 points and 12 boards.
In the Palomar loss, Villanueva reached a season-high with 24 points (six treys) and Ikidi totaled 11 points and 17 rebounds. The Comets forced PCC into 33 turnovers.
Ikidi leads the entire SCC and is fourth in the state in rebounds per game at 15.1 She is the conference leader and tied for seventh in the state in blocks per contest at a 2.4 average.
The Lancers open the new year on Friday, Jan. 6 when they host Cerritos College in a SCC Crossover game. Tip-off is 5 p.m. at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium.