Women's Basketball Earns Playoff Bid, Will Face No. 14 Long Beach

Women's Basketball Earns Playoff Bid, Will Face No. 14 Long Beach
February 23, 2020

The Allan Hancock College women's basketball team has clinched a play-off berth for the second time under Head Coach Cary Nerelli. It is the first time the Bulldogs have gone to the play-offs since the 2016-17 season where they finished 5-5 in conference and 15-11 on the season.

Hancock, who finishes Western State Conference play at 3-5 and finished the regular season at 13-15 will be ranked 19th as they head into the first round of the California Community College Athletics Association's (CCCAA) Southern California Regional Play-offs. The Bulldogs will travel to No. 14 Long Beach City College this Wednesday, February 26 for a 6:00 PM tip-off. The Vikings have gone 20-8 this season and finished with a perfect record in conference play at 10-0.

Nerelli has transformed the women's basketball program in his time with AHC. The program has surpassed all expectations in a season marred by injuries. Throughout the season the Bulldogs had only been able to play five or six active players. Despite the injuries the team still finds itself earning a play-off bid. Prior to his hiring for the 2013-14 season, the program's last play-off appearance was during the 2002-03 season where AHC finished 6-6 in conference and ended the season at 13-19. The Bulldogs lost in the first round to Mt. SAC who made it to game two of the State Championships that season.

A mixture of local and out-of-state talent led the Bulldogs this season. Freshman Jayci Bayne, an Arroyo Grande graduate, leads the team in scoring at 17.5 points per game, which is good enough to rank 34th in the state. Freshman Alijah Paquet, a Righetti graduate, scored 16 points per game and grabbed 7.1 rebounds per game as well as shooting a team high 33 percent from three point range. Mission Prep graduate, Aryana Gonzales put up 13.5 points per game and led the team with 3.3 assists per game. Milan McGary, a San Marcos Graduate, earned 11.7 points per game. Sophomore Sarah Gudeman, an Indiana native, led the team in rebounds with 7.9 a game.

For more information on the CCCAA Women's Basketball State Championship Play-offs visit the CCCAA website for the tournament bracket here: https://www.cccaasports.org/sports/wbkb/Championships

If you cannot make it to the game, be sure to watch the live game stream for FREE here: http://athletics.hancockcollege.edu/video/streaming

Be sure to follow Bulldog Athletics on the website or on social media at "ahcbulldogs" on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.