Rodriguez leads Hancock to historic win over Orange Coast, Bulldogs advance to title game

The Allan Hancock College women's basketball team overcame a second half deficit to beat Orange Coast 71-61 to advance to the championship game at the Cuesta College Tournament on Friday. The Bulldogs won their fifth-straight game and improved to 6-1 on the season after earning their first win against Orange Coast in recent memory. 

Ali Rodriguez led the squad with 24 points after she sank 10 of her 14 free throws.  The freshman, who graduated from Pioneer Valley High School, added seven rebounds. 

Cuesta trailed by three points at half time and by that same margin midway through the second half. 

Justine Roland poured in 14 points to go with seven boards. Freshman Nicole De La Guerra scored a career-high 10 points off the bench. Davina J. Valerio chipped in nine points.  Emma Weinreich added eight points and Veronica Sua tallied six points and seven boards.

Hancock made 52 percent of its shots from the floor and hit 20 of its 29 free throws. 

The Bulldogs face host Cuesta in the title game on Saturday at 4 p.m.