The Student News Site of Sacramento City College

The Express

The Student News Site of Sacramento City College

The Express

The Student News Site of Sacramento City College

The Express

City College men’s and women’s basketball make playoff splashes

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Sac City guard Gabe Serna (#44) prepares to shoot as Nemanja Kovacevic (#20) of Butte College nears during the Northern California Regional Playoffs at Sac City College North Gym. Sacramento, Calif. Friday, February, 24, 2017 Jason Pierce | [email protected]

Roland Armstrong

Staff Writer | [email protected]

Geoff Kindell

Staff Writer | [email protected]

Jayson Price

Staff Writer | [email protected]

BASKETBALL

As basketball season wrapped up at City College, both the women’s and men’s basketball teams made the California Community College Athletic Association playoffs. There, they faced some of the toughest competition in the CCCAA.

The women saw striking success in the fi rst round, beating Gavilan College  76-29, while also defending home court. Jessica Lauderdale led the team in the contest with 23 points, 8 rebounds and 5 steals. The Panthers offense caught fi re as they shot 53 percent from the field.

Julia Allender, 34, runs the City College women’s basketball program . She spoke of the team’s ability to pull away in its fi rst playoff matchup.

“My talk to them and my goal with them was to win the fi rst four minutes of that game,” said Allender. “We wanted to come out and really set the tone and let them know that this is our house, this is a playoff game and it’s win or go home.”

The second round was not as kind to the women’s team. The College of Sequoias out-rebounded the Panthers, 54-20, and won the game, 77-44. The Panthers started slow, scoring just 16 points in the fi rst half. The Panthers weren’t able to overcome their slow start.

Kayley Cravens led the team with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 6 steals and Lauderdale logged 10 points and 4 rebounds.

“We play in the toughest conference in the state,” said Allender, while thinking of players who may return. “I think that is even more so the experience that they need (to know) what is expected of us throughout the year.”

The women’s basketball team finished the year with a record of 14-16, 6-8 in Big 8 play and a second consecutive trip to the playoffs.

The men’s basketball team made a late-season surge that allowed it to see a playoff berth.

Andrew Jones, 50, is the head coach for City College. He spoke about the team coming on strong to fi nish the regular season.
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“The push that we had was that we won our last seven league games, which means that we beat everybody the second half of league,” said Jones. “We went from being in fi fth place to being in second place.”

The Panthers were host as the No.8 seed, welcoming the No. 9 seed, Butte College.

The team found itself on the losing end of the contest, falling to Butte, 78-63. A slow start was behind the early playoff exit for the Panthers, who put up 21 points in the fi rst half, a number they doubled in the second half.

Guard Gabe Serna, who’s expected back next season, led the way with 16 points while going 4-8 from the 3-point line. Guard/forward KJ Duronslet also had a strong outing, fi nishing the contest with 13 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists.

“Hopefully the guys who are returning will understand what the difference was for that run of seven games and how things changed and how that had lead to that success,” said Jones.

The men’s basketball team finished the year with an overall record of 18-11and finished second in the Big 8 with a 10-4 record.

BASEBALL
The City College Panthers’ baseball team continued its hot play as it won its fourth straight game against the Santa Rosa Bear Cubs March 7, 7-3. The Panthers improved their undefeated conference record to four wins and zero losses.

The Panthers sent out left-handed pitcher Isaiah Nunez, making his fourth start of the season, to the mound against Santa Rosa. Nunez threw seven innings, giving up two earned runs while only allowing five hits. Nunez struck out six and walked one batter. Nunez’s strong outing improved record to three wins and one loss on the season.

“We competed very well today against a good team. Santa Rosa won the state championship last year, very happy with our effort,” said head coach Derrick Sullivan.

The Panthers’ bats started to get going in the third-inning with an RBI ground out by Jake Guenther. That at-bat set the tone for the rest of the game.

Patience was the key. The Panthers were able to get on base by way of five walks against Santa Rosa with eventually having three of them scoring runs for the Panthers.

With more runs scored in the fourth and fifth innings, City College took a commanding 7-2 lead late in the fifth inning.

City College is tied for first-place with Cosumnes River College in the Big 8 Conference, both with 4-0 records. The Panthers next game will be at Santa Rosa on March 9 when they hope to stay unbeaten in Big 8 Conference play

TENNIS

The City College women’s tennis team lost to Reedley Community College, 9-0, on March 3. With a rough 0-3 start, the Panthers will look to bounce back and secure their first win of the season at home against Modesto City College on March 7.

SOFTBALL

It’s been a busy week for softball as the City College Panthers played three games in five days. City College split its doubleheader on March 4 against division rival American River College. The Panthers won the fi rst game, 9-2, but dropped the second 5-3. Taylor Fratto led an offensive explosion in the second inning of the first game, scoring seven runs. Fratto went 4-of-5 and had four RBIs. Ashley Adamson’s first home run of the season wasn’t enough to get by American River the second time around. The Panthers latest victory came at the expense of Santa Rosa Community College, shutting the Bear Cubs out 6-0. City College stands at 6-5 on the season, ranking fourth in its division. The Panthers next stop is College of the Siskiyous on March 9 for another doubleheader.

TRACK & FIELD

City College’s women’s track and field team headed to Stanislaus for the weekend to compete in the Kim Duyst Invitational. While no Panthers took fi rst in any events, they still had numerous athletes make the Top 10. Clarissa Sandoval placed eighth in the women’s 800 with a 2:33.28. Monae Newton and Janessa Moses both breached the Top 10 in both shotput and discuss. The Panthers will travel to Davis next for the Aggie Open on March 10.

City College’s men’s track and field headed to crosstown rival American River College for the Beaver Relays March 4. With a field of strong competition, the Panthers struggled to place in the top half of any event, with just two faring well. Freshman Josh Jackson placed eighth in shot put, with a 12.34-foot throw, while Emmanuel Martinez placed 15th in the hammer throw with a 36.46 foot-throw. The Panthers head to Sacramento State on March 17 for the Hornet invitational.

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