Rosa and Lee-Hammer Lead Hancock to Tournament Title, Bulldogs Crush Cuesta 63-43

Grace Rosa and Taylor Lee-Hammer led the Allan Hancock College women's basketball team to a 63-43 win over the host Cuesta Cougars to capture the championship for the second straight year at the Phillips 66 Invitational in San Luis Obispo. The Bulldogs improved to 5-2, and Cuesta fell to 8-4. Rosa was named the Tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Fresh off a 23-point game in the semifinals, Lee-Hammer scored 17 points to go with seven rebounds. She scored nine points in the first quarter to haelp Hancock lead 17-7 after the first 10 minutes. The freshman finished with 12 points in the first half to help the Bulldogs carry a 33-16 lead into halftime. Destinee Garcia scored eight and Karly Beyers poured in seven in the first 20 minutes of the game for the Bulldogs.Lee-Hammer earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team after she averaged 14.6 points per game during the weekend.

After she scored two points in the first half, Rosa came to life in the second half. The Paso Robles High School graduate scored 10 points in the third quarter and six more in the fourth quarter to finish with 18 points. The freshman center added six rebounds and one block.

Garcia and Beyers finished with nine points apiece. Beyers had six rebounds and five assists. Garcia pulled down seven rebounds. Naomi Leopardi had six points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals. Leopardi, a freshman forward, was named to the All-Tournament Team.

Sophomore guard Syenna Ramirez finished with 10 assists and four rebounds.

The Bulldogs made 27 of their 50 shots overall, including a 3-for-8 effort from 3-point range.

Hancock will host the annual Lady Bulldog Classic from December 9-10.  The Bulldogs will play Barstow at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 9. Cuesta will also face L.A. Harbor at 5 p.m. on Friday. 

Fans will receive free admission to the two-day tournament if they bring an unwrapped children's toy valued at $10 or more for the Toys for Tots Toy Drive. The tournament will end Saturday, Dec. 10, when Cuesta plays Barstow at 3 p.m., and the Bulldogs battle L.A. Harbor at 5 p.m.