Barstow Erases 22 Point Deficit to Stun Hancock 64-60 in Lady Bulldog Classic

(Santa Maria, CA) Megan Miles hit a deep three-point bucket to give Barstow its first lead of the game with 19 seconds left in the Vikings' 64-60 come-from-behind win over Allan Hancock in the semifinals of the Lady Bulldog Classic on Friday night. Barstow erased a 22-point deficit in the final 13 minutes of the game to advance to the championship game against Cuesta College on Saturday. Hancock dropped to 7-3 and lost for the first time at home this season. The Bulldogs face Santa Barbara in the third place game at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

The Bulldogs opened the second half on a 13-0 run to build a 50-28 lead with 13:42 to play. However, Barstow answered a full court press that produced several Hancock turnovers. After a 16-0 run over the next three minutes, the Vikings trailed by just six points with nearly 10 minutes to go.

Hancock still led 58-53 with 3:40 to play after a bucket by Justine Roland. However, six points from Miles and a free throw from Ebony Black-Smith sandwiched between a bucket by Hancock's Ali Rodriguez left the game tied 60-60 with a minute to play.

After Hancock failed to regain the lead on its next possession, the Vikings took their first lead of the entire game after Tichina Savoy grabbed an offensive rebound and the ball ended up in Miles' hands for the go-ahead shot. Miles finished with 11 points. Black-Smith poured in a game-high 26 points to go with a team-high 18 rebounds. Black-Smith grabbed 10 of the Vikings' 28 offensive rebounds.

Roland led the Bulldogs with 17 points and 14 rebounds. The sophomore picked up her fifth and final foul with about three minutes to go in the game. Sophomore forward Emma Weinreich fouled out earlier in the game. She finished with 11 points and 9 rebounds. Rodriguez added 14 points, 11 of them came in the first half. Nicole DeLa Guerra provided some solid defense early in the second half and finished with 10 points.

Hancock made just 6 of its 13 free-throws in the game for a 46.2 percent clip.

Earlier on Friday, the Cuesta women beat Santa Barbara 66-56 in a battle of Western State Conference teams in the other semifinal. The Cougars improved to 10-0 behind a 16 point-effort from Courtney Chadwick. Melissa Lemus and Mission Prep graduate Kaylee Williams poured in 11 points apiece, while Morgan Liebscher, a San Luis Obispo High product, and Morro Bay High grad Jerrica Crosby added 10 points each.

Also on Friday, Marin beat Lassen 59-41 and Saddleback bounced back from its loss to Cuesta with a 54-51 victory over Reedley. Saddleback, which is ranked 18^th in the state poll, faces Marin in the consolation final at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

The championship game is set for 5 p.m. on Saturday.