Upset Bid Falls Short, No. 13 Hancock Falls 76-73 to No. 3 Mt. San Jacinto

Sophomore guard Syenna Ramirez scored 15 points to lead a quartet of double-digit Bulldog scorers as the No. 13 Allan Hancock College women's basketball team fell 76-73 to No. 3 Mt. San Jacinto College on Thursday during day two of a tournament hosted by Ventura College. The Bulldogs fell to 9-4 overall, while Mt. San Jacinto, the third ranked team in Southern California and fifth ranked team in California, improved to 13-2.

The Bulldogs kept up with Mt. San Jacinto in the first half and trailed 20-19 after the first quarter and 42-35 at halftime. MSJ built a 15-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, before the Bulldogs battled back to climb to within a field goal as time expired.

Ramirez led the Bulldogs with 15 points on 6-for-13 shooting from the field. The sophomore missed all five of her 3-point shots, but sank 3-of-4 from the free-throw line. The St. Joseph High School graduate added six rebounds and five assists.

Freshman center Grace Rosa finished with 14 points, two blocks and four rebounds. The Paso Robles High School graduate hit seven of her 10 shots from the field. Taylor Lee-Hammer and Destinee Garcia added 13 points apiece. Garcia had five assists and four rebounds and hit five of her 10 shots from the field. Lee-Hammer hit 3-of-9 from 3-point range and went 4-for-15 overall. The freshman guard added five boards and four assists.

Freshmen Naomi Leopardi and Karly Beyers added nine points apiece. Beyers went 2-for-9 from 3-point range and 3-for-7 from the free-throw line. Leopardi made two of her six shots and all four of her free throws. Leopardi led the team with nine rebounds, including four offensive boards.

Overall, Hancock shot 40 percent from the field and 28 percent from long-range. Hancock sank 14 of its 19 free throws.

Mt. San Jacinto shot 39 percent from the field, but out-rebounded Hancock 48 to 40. Randi Johnson recorded a double-double for MSJ with 13 points and 11 rebounds. MSJ had 23 offensive rebounds compared to 14 for the Bulldogs.