Lee-Hammer, Ramirez, and Rosa Lead Lady Bulldogs Past SBCC 71-50

Taylor Lee-Hammer, Syenna Ramirez, and Grace Rosa combined to score 58 points to lead the Allan Hancock College women's basketball team to a 71-50 victory over Santa Barbara City College Saturday in Joe White Memorial Gymnasium. The Bulldogs earned their first Western State Conference victory of the year to improve to 1-2 in league and 12-7 overall. Hancock also beat SBCC for the first time in six meetings. The Vaqueros fell to 2-1 in conference action and 12-7 on the year.

Lee-Hammer went 8-for-15 from the field, including a 3-for-7 effort from 3-point range to finish with a team-best 22 points.  The freshman added eight rebounds, four assists, and four steals for the Bulldogs. Ramirez hit nine of her 15 shots from the field, including one 3-pointer to finish with 19 points. The St. Joseph High School graduate dished out six assists. Freshman center Grace Rosa added 17 points and seven rebounds. She hit 7-of-13 from the floor and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line. Sophomore Destinee Garcia added six points, four rebounds, and seven assists.

The Bulldogs never trailed in the game. Freshman Karly Beyers hit a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the first quarter to give Hancock a 21-16 lead to start the second. The Bulldogs went on an 11-2 run to open the quarter behind to buckets apiece by Lee-Hammer and Ramirez, and three points from Rosa. Hancock shot 50 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes to build a 38-25 lead at halftime.

Overall, Hancock made 29 of its 57 shots or 51 percent on the night. The Bulldogs were 5-for-11 from 3-point range, and 8-for-12 from the free-throw line. Hancock also held the advantage over the Vaqueros on rebounds 30 to 27, assists 19 to 8, and points in the paint 34 to 22.

Destinee King led the Vaqueros with 23 points, seven rebounds, and four steals. The Hancock defense limited the Vaqueros to 37 percent shooting from the field, including a 2-for-11 mark from 3-point range. The Vaqueros also only hit eight of their 18 free throws.

The Bulldogs will return to action Wednesday, January 25, at Cuesta College. Hancock defeated the Cougars 63-43 in the championship game of Cuesta's tournament in early December. Cuesta beat Oxnard Saturday 65-42 to improve to 1-2 in conference and 12-9 overall.