For years, the South Coast Conference North Division has established itself perhaps the most difficult in the state. The Pasadena City College women's basketball team can attest to the highly competitive contests in the division, but more so since returning to play following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Lancers (11-11 overall) lost their first two SCC North games last week v. LA Trade-Tech and Mt. San Antonio, and have won just once in conference play dating back to their last 11 division games.
On Jan. 20 at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium, the state #11-ranked Mt. SAC (15-7, 2-0 in SCC North) played tenacious defense and handed PCC a 55-45 defeat. The Mounties have won eight straight over Pasadena teams dating back to 2018, but many of those games resembled Friday's contest with PCC working hard for every basket and vice versa.
PCC fell behind by as much as 37-20 in the third quarter, but battled back on the back of center Tena Ikidi, whose layup to open the fourth quarter cut the lead to four, 39-35. Mt. SAC responded with an 8-2 run capped by an inside basket by Kamesha Moore that iced the Lancers comeback.
Ikidi totaled game highs with 21 points and 13 rebounds to go with four blocks and three steals. Backup center Tatiana Ayala was the only other effective Lancer with six points, seven boards, and two blocks. Other than Ikidi, the starting five was limited to just 11 points.
On Jan. 18 in the team's conference opener at SoCal #13-rated LA Trade-Tech, unranked PCC rallied from down 16-2, led by as much as 11 in the third quarter, but lost to the Beavers, 68-62.
A 10-0 run, including a layup by Naomi Turner gave PCC its first lead at 30-29 late in the second quarter. In the third quarter, Atira Davis finished a 12-2 spurt on a 3-pointer from beyond the top of the arc that gave the Lancers a 50-39 advantage.
In the fourth quarter, LATT regained the lead at 62-60 on a jumper by Alyssa Ke with 1:50 left. With 18 seconds to go, Ayala hit a free that tied it, 62-62. But LA Trade-Tech made six straight free throws to win it.
Ikidi recorded a rare 20-20 game, scoring 23 points and grabbing 20 rebounds. It was the first by a PCC player since Dariel Johnson performed the feat (20 points, 24 rebounds) in a win over East Los Angeles on Feb. 14, 2020. Ikidi leads the state in total rebounds (341), third in rebounds average (15.5), and third in total blocks with 52.
Ayala was 5-for-6 from the floor for 11 points plus eight rebounds while Sheridan Orange contributed nine points, five boards and four assists. Davis added seven points and four steals.
Since breaking the 500-point mark in her career, Maiya Villanueva is in a mini shooting slump and has been held to just 12 total points in the two conference losses.
PCC next hosts Rio Hondo College in "Coaches v. Cancer Night" Friday, Jan. 27 at 5 p.m.
ROCKY MOORE JOINS PCC ASSISTANT COACHING STAFF
Rocky Moore, a long-time instructor in the Kinesiology, Health & Athletics division, has joined head coach Joe Peron's coaching staff. Moore was head coach of the PCC men's team from 1997-2003 as he directed the only SCC title in the Lancers men's basketball history inside the South Coast Conference in 1999-2000.