Golden West Wins Conference Opener

Huntington Beach, Calif. - Golden West women's basketball (11-4, 1-0 OEC) was victorious in their first conference meeting against the Saddleback Bobcats (6-8, 0-1 OEC), 80-69. 

In a thrilling matchup between the Golden West Rustlers and the Saddleback Bobcats, fans were treated to a rollercoaster ride of basketball action that culminated in a well-earned victory for Rustlers. The first quarter saw Kayla Terry coming off the bench in spectacular fashion, igniting the scoreboard with seven crucial points, keeping the game tied at 13-13. However, the Rustlers struggled from beyond the arc, shooting a mere 14%, but they made up for it in other areas.

The Golden West team asserted their dominance in the paint, leading eight to two in points scored down low, and they also capitalized on turnovers, leading in points off turnovers by five to one. Additionally, they had a 10-0 edge in second chance points. The score was tied three times, and the lead changed twice in a fiercely contested quarter. Moanike'ala Scott, of the Saddleback Bobcats led all scorers in the quarter with seven points.

The second frame was a turning point for the Rustlers as Ty Adams buried 2 three pointers allowing her and Laoren Jordan to both erupt for eight points each. Kayla Terry added six more points, and she showcased her versatility with nine rebounds in the quarter. This performance helped the Rustlers secure a commanding 47-31 lead going into halftime. On the Bobcats' side, Alex Thompson contributed nine points in the quarter, bringing her total to 11.

As the game progressed into the third quarter, Golden West continued to pull away. The Rustlers outscored the Bobcats 23-19 in the third, fueled by six points from Jessiah Ramirez, another six from Terry, and five from Michaela Heffernan. The focus shifted to the battle between Terry and Moanike'ala Scott. To slow down the explosive Scott, Coach Migliorini assigned Jessiah Ramirez to mark her. The decision paid off as Ramirez not only shut her down but also chipped in six crucial points of her own. Scott ended the third quarter with a total of 22 points.

The fourth quarter saw Saddleback making a last-ditch effort, outscoring the Rustlers 19-10, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit. Princess McCauley added four points for the Rustlers, and despite Ty Adams unconventionally bad night of eight turnovers including four in the fourth quarter, she and Terry provided four assists each for the Rustlers to seal the victory.

Despite losing the final quarter, Golden West held on to secure an 80-69 victory. The game was marked by a balanced scoring effort, with five Rustlers reaching double figures: Terry with 23 points, Ty Adams with 13, Lauren Jordan with 12, Josiah Ramirez with eleven, and Michaela Heffernan with ten. The Rustlers dominated in the key areas, with a significant lead in points in the paint (38-12), second chance points (22-14), and bench points (57-0).

However, there was a shadow over the victory as Terry suffered an ankle injury late in the fourth quarter, putting her availability for the upcoming showdown against the top-ranked OEC team Orange Coast College in doubt. Nonetheless, the Golden West Rustlers showcased their composure and determination throughout the game, securing their fourth consecutive win and first OEC victory. 

UP NEXT: Golden West's next conference matchup will be at home against Orange Coast on Friday, January 12th. Tipoff will be at 5pm.