Hancock Women Cruise in Lady Bulldog Classic Opener 83-53 Behind Career-High 33 From Beyers

Karly Beyers drained seven 3-pointers on her way to a career-high 33 points and her third double-double of the season as the Allan Hancock College women's basketball team cruised 83-53 over the Vandenberg Air Force Lady Hawks to open the 20th annual Lady Bulldog Classic Thursday inside Joe White Memorial Gymnasium. The Bulldogs improved to 5-3 and advanced to face College of the Siskiyous at 5 p.m. on Friday in the championship semifinals. Siskiyous, the No. 7 team in the North Regional Preseason Poll, defeated Cuesta 81-53 in the first round to improve to 8-1 on the season.

Beyers scored 10 points in the first quarter and 13 in the second to finish with 23 points and nine rebounds in the first half. The Pioneer Valley High School graduate ended the evening 12-for-19 from the field with a career-best 7-for-11 mark from 3-point range. Her previous career high was 19 points. Fueled by four offensive rebounds, Beyers tallied 13 total rebounds, two more than her previous career high set last season. The sophomore also recorded six assists, four shy of a triple-double.

Grace Rosa finished with 20 points and seven rebounds in the win. The sophomore hit 10 of her 14 shots from the field. She had 14 points at halftime to help Hancock turn a 21-13 advantage after the first quarter into a 41-25 lead at halftime.

Taylor Lee-Hammer scored 12 of her 16 points in the second half frot eh Bulldogs. The sophomore guard went 3-for-7 from long-range and 6-for-12 overall. Lee-Hammer finished with seven rebounds and seven assists. Hannah Walls added five rebounds, five assists and five points, while Brianna Rubalcaba came off the bench to add six points, three assists and two steals.

Hancock shot 55 percent for the game on 34-for-62 shooting. The Bulldogs also buried a season-best 12 3-point buckets on 26 attempts. The Bulldogs pulled down 45 rebounds and assisted on 25 of their 34 baskets.

Vandenberg, a team comprised of active members of the United States Air Force and civilians, will face Cuesta at 1 p.m. in the consolation semifinals. Mychea Williams, a senior airman in the USAF, led the Lady Hawks with 25 points. Williams and Akia Carter, who had 15 points in the game, each hit four 3-point buckets.

In the evening first round games, LA Harbor will battle Orange Coast at 5 p.m., while Santa Barbara City College will face College of the Sequoias at 7 p.m Thursday. The winners will play in the championship semifinals at 7 p.m. Friday, while the losers will battle in the consolation semifinals at 3 p.m.