Playing in their third overtime game of the young season, the Cerritos College women's basketball team came away with a 66-61 double overtime win over host Chaffey College on Friday. The Falcons (4-4), winners of three in a row, will take some time off before competing in the Irvine Valley Tournament, which starts on December 6.
Late in the fourth quarter, freshman Nicole Lizarraga (Cantwell Sacred Heart HS) converted a jumper with :27 seconds on the clock to tie the game at 45-45. After a Falcon foul, the Panthers missed the last shot with :03 seconds remaining, with the game moving to the first overtime. Chaffey opened a 48-45 lead early in the second half, until a pair of free throws from sophomore Sarah Hernandez (St. Paul HS), followed by a steal from freshman Precious Yerena (Downey HS) and layup from Hernandez made it a 49-48 Cerritos lead. The teams would trade the lead six more times until freshman Jordan Lewis (Downey HS) put the Falcons in front 58-55 with :08 seconds remaining. Chaffey came down on their next possession and netted a three-pointer from Elyanna Rios with :03 seconds left to tie the game and send it to a second overtime.
The lead changed hands four more times in the second half until the Falcons got a basket from Hernandez, followed by a jumper from sophomore Kayla Sta. Ana (St. Joseph HS) with 1:25 left for a 63-60 advantage. Rios missed a three-point attempt on the Panthers next possession, with Lewis converting it into a layup for Cerritos and a 65-60 lead, which was the biggest of the night for either team. The teams traded a free throw each to close out the game.
Hernandez scored a career-high 28 points, and it was her fourth 20-point game of the season. She converted 11-of-21 shots and added five rebounds, while Lewis produced 10 points and six rebounds in the win. Lizarraga led the team with seven rebounds to go along with her six points, with Sta.Ana adding seven points.