W. Basketball: Ilani Avila named division Tri-Player of the Year

Ilani Avila named SCC South Division Tri-Player of the Year
Ilani Avila named SCC South Division Tri-Player of the Year

For the 16th time in Cerritos College women's basketball history, a member of their team has been named the conference's Player of the Year. Freshman guard Ilani Avila, who led the Falcons in scoring at 17.5 points a game, was voted as one of their three South Coast Conference South Division Player of the Year. Head coach Trisha Kozlowski (pictured, below) was also voted the division's Coach of the Year. Also earning 1st Team recognition were sophomore Precious Yerena and freshman Izabella Apodaca, with sophomore Therese Zekajj and freshman Ashley Miller earned 2nd Team all-conference.

Trisha Kozlowski was named the conference's Coach of the Year Avila, who also leads the team in three-pointers (33), as well as free throws (110-for-142) and free throw shooting percentage (77.5), eclipsed the 30-point plateau twice during the year. Additionally, Avila, whose parents both played for the Falcons, scored over 20 points 10 times during the year. She missed two games this season with an injury, while the last regular season game was a forfeit win, which prevented her from adding to her season totals.

As a freshman, Yerena was a 2nd Team selection, and posted 7.2 points and 3.8 rebounds a game as a sophomore. She came on strong in the final six games by averaging 11.0 points a game and 4.9 rebounds a game. She pulled down a season-high eight rebounds against Long Beach City College and had seven rebounds in three straight contests. Apodaca is tied for third on the team in scoring at 8.1 points a game, which included scoring in double-figures in five of the last eight games of the regular season.

Zekajj currently leads the team in rebounding at 8.5 a game, while contributing 5.6 points a game. She pulled down more than 10 rebounds in a game 10 times, which included a career-high 15 caroms against Compton College in the final regular season game. Coming off the bench in the majority of the games, Miller is second on the team with an 8.2 scoring average and also averages 3.6 rebounds a game as a guard. She scored a season-high 27 points in 11-of-17 shooting against Riverside City College and accounted for 21 points against Los Angeles Southwest College. Miller dished out a season-high six assists against Compton College and had six rebounds in six games.