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| Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2003 8:45 am Post subject: Phx. College Women Ranked #2, Advances to Championships |
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Phx. College advances to championships
With a berth in the Division II national tournament on the line, the Phoenix College women's team used a big second half to defeat visiting Scottsdale Community College 71-57 Friday in the Region I tournament.
Phoenix College, ranked No. 2 in the nation, will head to Hagerstown, Md., for the championships March 19-22. It will receive a first-round bye and open play March 20.
Leading by just four points at halftime, Phoenix College outscored Scottsdale 39-29 in the second half.
Sophomores Nicole Hommel and Kelly McRee led Phoenix College in scoring with 28 points each. McRee also had 15 rebounds, seven assists and a pair of blocked shots and nailed four three-pointers en route to being named the tournament's MVP.
"We just came to play," Hommel said. "We played as a team, and we just wanted it more."
Phoenix College coach Liza Oakley said her team's maturity helped it to the victory.
"We just had a little more composure this time than they did," Oakley said. "Our rebounding helped a lot, and we just made key plays."
Phoenix College outrebounded Scottsdale 42-34, which Scottsdale coach Bike Medder saw as a key.
"We knew we had to dominate on the boards and make our free throws down the stretch, and we didn't do that tonight," Medder said.
Scottsdale shot just 35 percent from the free-throw line and 35 percent from the field. Phoenix shot 54 percent from the field and 85 percent from the line.
With Phoenix College leading 52-50 with 7:05 to play, sophomore center Leni Messenger was called for an offensive foul, negating a basket.
Oakley argued the call and was hit with a technical. But Miki Arsenijevic missed both free throws, and Phoenix College went on an 8-0 run to take a 60-58 lead. Scottsdale would get no closer than six points the rest of the way.
Ramsey's 17 points led Scottsdale. Abei Irowa had 15 points and three steals, while Natasha Harley had 15 points.
Glendale Community College won the Division II men's championship with an 80-72 victory over South Mountain on Wednesday.
Glendale plays tonight at 7 at Rose State College in Oklahoma for the Region I championship. A win would send the Gauchos to the national tournament, also March 19-22. |
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