Playing their first home game of the season, the Cerritos College women's basketball team recorded a 77-32 win over ECC Compton Center. The South Coast Conference crossover win by the Falcons (13-5) was the first at home for first-year head coach Trisha Raniewicz. The team will now travel to #1-ranked Mt. San Antonio College for a 5:00 p.m. conference crossover game. It will make the third meeting of the year against the Mounties (16-1).

Cerritos led from start to finish against the Lady Tartars (1-12), which started with a 26-6 lead after the first quarter. In the first 10 minutes, seven different players scored, and by halftime, their 40-16 lead saw sophomore Kennedi Cooper (Lakewood HS) leading the way with seven points. In fact, only two platers scored in double-figures for the Falcons.

ECC Compton Center turned the ball over 15 times, which led to 18 Cerritos points, while the team also received 38 points off the bench. Another key to the win was the 53-24 rebounding edge by the Falcons.

Sophomore Miranda Valentin (Bellflower HS) led the team with 10 points and eight rebounds, with sophomore Crystal Lomax (Lynwood HS) producing 10 points and seven boards off the bench. Freshman Allyson O'Brien (La Habra HS) finished with nine points, while Cooper finished the game with eight points and five assists.

Cerritos converted 46.5% of their field goals and limited Compton to just 27% from the field. Sophomores Clarissa Hernandez (St. Paul HS), Verenice Gomez (Whittier HS), Ashley Flores (California HS) and freshman Kaylyn James (Lakewood HS) all contributed six points. Sophomore Janel Oliver (Bellflower HS) posted seven points and sophomore Sydney Lopez (Whittier Christian HS) pulled down seven rebounds.

Photos by Daryl Peterson