Laila Saenz dropped in four triples and Sage Kramer added three more as #5 Westmont Women’s Basketball (19-1, 12-1 GSAC) recorded a 73-51 win over the Hawks of San Diego Christian (6-17, 2-13) on Thursday evening in a Golden State Athletic Conference game.
Saenz went four of six from beyond the arc to score 12 points while Kramer made three of four from long distance on her way to 11 points and seven rebounds.
Sydney Brown recorded a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds, her third of the season, while Stefanie Berberabe and Kate Goostrey each added eight points. Berberabe also had seven rebounds, five assists and two steals and Goostrey added three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Westmont got off to a fast start, scoring on its first three possessions. Berberabe scored on a layup off the opening tip and Okonkwo scored underneath the basket on the Warriors’ next possession. The next trip down the floor, Brown deposited a layup in the hoop, resulting in a 6-0 advantage.
The Warriors’ first 3-pointer came just under the six minute mark when Laila Saenz delivered from beyond the arc. Just 30 seconds later, she did so again to make the score 12-3.
Brown added a field goal from 16 feet before Paul Graichen coaxed an underhand layup for the Warriors’ next two points. Then Kate Goostrey showed off her 3-point range, Saenz hit another and Goostrey struck again on back-to-back-to-back possessions, making the score 25-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Bailey Fong got the scoring going in the second half with a layup from the right side. Then Sage Kramer became the third Warrior to score from beyond the arc, doing so on back-to-back possession. Then Fong made the score 35-11 when she scored on a reverse layup as the shot clock was about to expire.
After a free throw by Graichen, Okonkwo stepped to the charity stripe and sank two freebies. Okonkwo then scored a layup off a dish from Berberabe, resulting in a 40-18 score. A 3-pointer by the Hawk’s Mae Makoni made the score 40-21 at the intermission.
Brown led off the Warriors’ scoring in the second half, with a short jumper. Then, Brown handed off the ball to Berberabe who circled around defenders for a layup. Another Goostrey triple produced a 47-26 Warrior advantage.
Graichen drove the lane for a layup before Fong hit a long field goal from just inside the arc. Fong then drove the lane, making the score 53-46 at the end of three quarters.
Berberabe worked her magic to start the final frame, dancing around with the ball until a layup opened up. Then Kramer dropped in her third long-range bucket of the game on three attempts. Kramer added a couple of free throws on the Warriors’ next possession to make it a 60-39 game.
After a Hawk’s turnover, Berberabe dribbled around a packed lane and scored with an underhand layup. Brown added two more on free throws. Then Kate Goostrey scored on an acrobatic layup to extend Westmont’s lead to 66-39.
Brown secured her double-double after collecting an offensive board (her 11th) and putting it back in for her 10th point of the night. Fouled on the play, she converted her free throw to make her point total match her rebounds before subbing out of the game.
With just over 2:00 minutes to play, Fong connected on a 3-point attempt from the top of the key. Isabella Pearson became the ninth Warrior to score when she made a free throw and the game’s final point.
In other GSAC action, Hope International (17-6, 10-4) fell to The Master’s (13-7, 7-6) by a score of 79-75 while Vanguard (17-4, 10-3) posted a 78-54 win over Arizona Christian (10-13, 6-8). As a result of tonight’s games, Vanguard has moved ahead of Hope International into second place in the GSAC standings. The Lions are two games behind the Warriors with five games remaining in the season.
Westmont will host Hope International on Saturday, February 4 at 2:00 p.m., which is a time change made a couple of weeks ago to accommodate a celebration of the historical accomplishment of the 1972 men’s basketball team. Fifty-one years ago, following the death of head coach Tom Byron, Westmont defeated 13th-ranked Hawaii in an emotional game that is long remembered in the hearts of Westmont faithful.
Several members of the 1972 team will be honored at halftime of the men’s game, which starts at 4 p.m. Then at 6:30 p.m. a ceremony will be conducted in Winter Hall 210 designed to tell the story of their accomplishment and remember the man who inspired the triumph.