The Saddleback women’s basketball season came to an end on Friday night at Chaffey College in the opening round of the Southern California playoffs, but they didn’t go down without a fight. The Gauchos fell behind by as many as 21 points before falling to the Panthers, 67-61.
Saddleback led 15-11 in the first half before Chaffey went on a 16-0 run over a 5:05 span to take a 27-15 lead with 5:23 remaining in the half. The Gauchos would eventually fall behind by as many as 15 points in the first 20 minutes before chipping the lead down to 35-24 at the intermission.
The cold shooting would reappear to start the second half, as Saddleback would score just five points in the first eight minutes of the second half in falling behind 50-29. The Gauchos then kicked into high gear the rest of the way, outscoring the Panthers 32-17 over the final 12 minutes. Saddleback would eventually get the Chaffey lead down to four points, but with just six seconds remaining on the clock the Gaucho comeback fell short.
Shalae Edwards had a big night for Saddleback, scoring 26 points on 7-for-12 shooting while making good on 12-of-15 free throws. Unfortunately, the rest of the lineup would make just 11-of-39 shots (28%) in a game where the Gauchos just ran out of time.
Saddleback finishes the season at 19-10 overall, the most wins by the program since winning 24 games back in 2007-08.
2/24/12: KSBR (88.5 FM) to air both basketball playoff games
The Saddleback College basketball teams will both be in action this evening at different venues, but the folks at KSBR Radio are not letting that be a logistical problem. KSBR (88.5 FM) will broadcast both games live on the radio, with the women’s game starting at 5:30 PM and joining the men in progress at the completion of the women’s game.
The Saddleback women’s basketball team will open the playoffs at Chaffey College at 5:30 PM this evening, and KSBR will be on hand to give you all the play-by-play action live from Rancho Cucamonga. Kevin Wyart will fly solo with the call of the game as he brings you first round action of the Southern California playoffs.
The Gaucho men will start at 7:00 PM at the Saddleback Gymnasium against San Diego City College in the opening round of the men's playoffs, and the KSBR crew will join the game live at the completion of the women’s game. Jack Naimo, Jack Fahrenthold and Ken Warren will bring the action as the Gauchos open the playoffs against the Knights.
In addition, the audio of the game can be found on Cox Cable Channel 967 and on a tune-in radio app (under KSBR).
On the heels of earning their first playoff berth in four years, the Saddleback women’s basketball team had three players named to the All-Orange Empire Conference Team on Monday. Shalae Edwards, Shala Kirkpatrick and DonQuenae Townsend were all recognized by the conference as they head into the playoffs on Friday.
Edwards was named to the First Team after finishing third in the conference in scoring (15.1 ppg) and fourth in rebounding (8.0 rpg). She was also sixth in the conference in shooting percentage (47.7%) and second in blocks (1.2 bpg), leading the Gauchos in nearly every offensive category. Edwards had seven double-doubles on the season and a season-high 29 points against Barstow on December 10, scoring in double-figures in 24-of-27 games during the season.
Kirkpatrick finished 10th in the conference in scoring (10.5 ppg), second in field goal percentage (50.7%) and fifth in rebounds (7.9 rpg), registering four double-doubles for the season. She had a season-high 19 points against Orange Coast on January 18 and was named to the second team.
Townsend joined Kirkpatrick on the second team and was a pillar of consistency inside for Saddleback, finishing fifth in the conference in rebounding (7.6 rpg) while averaging 6.7 points for the season. She registered three double-doubles while scoring a season-high 16 points against Citrus on December 4.
Saddleback will open the playoffs at Chaffey College on Friday night. Game time is set for 5:30 PM. The game was originally planned for 7:00 PM, but was later changed due to conflicts in scheduling at Chaffey College.
2/20/12: Women’s basketball to open playoffs at Chaffey
For the first time in four years the women’s basketball team has qualified for the Southern California playoffs. The Gauchos earned the No. 9 seed in the SoCal playoffs, and will open at Chaffey College on Friday evening.
Saddleback struggled down the stretch, but now has a second chance to get it all turned around as they head to Chaffey to take on the Panthers on Friday night. The Gauchos defeated Chaffey 63-62 in the opening round of the Orange Coast College Tournament on December 16. In that game, Saddleback made 12-of-13 free throws as DonQuenae Townsend (pictured left) led the Gauchos with 13 points while Shalae Edwards collected 13 rebounds. A win against Chaffey on Friday would likely create a showdown with No. 1 Mt. San Antonio College next Wednesday.
Saddleback finished 19-9 during the regular season and 5-7 in Orange Empire Conference play (4th place). Chaffey was 23-6 overall and 11-3 in Foothill Conference play (2nd place). The Gauchos finished the regular season with the No. 10 RPI in the south while the Panthers were No. 5.
Tipp-off is set for 5:30 PM at Chaffey College (originally scheduled for 7:00 PM, but changed due to scheduling conflicts).
2/17/12: Gauchos fall in regular season finale
The Saddleback women’s basketball team made a big comeback on Friday night against Riverside City College, but saw it come up just a bit short in losing the regular season finale. The Gauchos fell to the Tigers, 59-54, and will now wait until Monday to see if the playoff committee is good to them.
Saddleback was ice cold in the first 20 minutes of the game, shooting just 23% in falling behind 26-19 at the intermission. The Gauchos came out with a purpose in the second half, opening with an 11-0 run before Riverside would score its first points of the half with 14:55 remaining in regulation. Saddleback, unfortunately, could not keep up the torrid pace from the field, as Riverside eventually took back the lead with under five minutes remaining, and never gave it back.
Shala Kirkpatrick led the Saddleback offensive attack, scoring 18 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field. She also had 14 rebounds, three assists and two steals while DonQuenae Townsend chipped in 16 points.
Riverside struggled in the opening minutes of the half, but would eventually heat up, with Heather Wohlk leading the attack. Wohlk scored a game-high 20 points, making a pair of key free throws in the closing minute to close the door on the Saddleback comeback.
Saddleback finishes the regular season 19-9, and will now see what decision the playoff seed committee makes on Monday. Riverside finished the season 10-18 with the win.
2/8/12: Gauchos can’t keep pace with Hornets
The Saddleback women’s basketball team played hard for 40 minutes, but had a tough time keeping pace with a suddenly hot Fullerton College team. The Gauchos fell behind by 16 at halftime in falling to the Hornets, 62-46.
Shala Kirkpatrick and Shalae Edwards (left) both had big games for Saddleback on offense, combining for 37 points in a losing effort. Unfortunately, the rest of the team was just 3-for-23 from the field as the Gauchos had a hard time finding any other offense. The lone other scorer in the game for Saddleback was Raven Gammage, who finished with nine points on 3-of-5 shooting from three-point range.
Meanwhile, the inside combination of Aunjanay Chambers and Chanel Benson were tough for Fullerton, combining for 36 points on 14-for-29 shooting. Unfortunately, the game was delayed for about 20 minutes with 2:44 remaining in the second half when Benson would suffer an apparent arm injury, requiring medical attention.
Saddleback fell to 19-7 overall and 5-5 in Orange Empire Conference play with the loss. Fullerton improved to 19-8 overall and 8-2 in OEC play with the win. It was the Hornets’ 13th win in the past 16 games.
2/3/12:
Something is off in Gauchos loss
Something was definitely “off” in Saddleback’s 63-50 loss to visiting Irvine Valley College on Friday night, and it had more to do with than just the shooting.
In a festive night of charity (Coaches vs. Cancer), friendly rivalry (President’s Cup), and high stakes competition (third place in the conference standings), there was something amiss with Saddleback’s game. The three-point shooting was off (1 of 8), free throw shooting was off (9 of 19), and ball control was off (21 turnovers). Saddleback’s shooting percentage from the field was fine (20 of 46), but the Gauchos had five shots blocked and the offensive frustration led to 20 team fouls, including disqualifications for Shalae Edwards (19 points, nine rebounds) and Shala Kirkpatrick (six points, five rebounds). Rina Towne added 15 points and six rebounds for the Gauchos (19-6, 5-4).
The Lasers built a seven point lead in the first half and then increased that lead to 12 points in the second half. Saddleback started to make a run at the lead midway through the second half but then stopped cold, failing to score a field goal for over five minutes and allowing the Lasers to build the lead back up to 13 points.
Irvine Valley took advantage of Saddleback’s miscues with 10 steals and Amber Wharton tossed in 25 points to lead the Lasers (15-11, 6-2). The Lasers also took advantage at the foul line, making over 86 percent of their charity shots (19 of 22).
Saddleback will host Fullerton College on Wednesday, January 8, at 5:30 p.m. in the campus gym.
1/27/12: Saddleback women keep pace with win over Santa Ana
The Saddleback women’s basketball team needed a win on Friday night at home against Santa Ana College to keep pace in Orange Empire Conference play. The Gauchos delivered as Shalae Edwards and Raven Gammage combined for 40 points in the 69-57 win.
Saddleback sprinted out to an early double-digit lead in the first 10 minutes of the game and never looked back. The Gauchos took a 30-21 break into the locker room after holding Santa Ana to just 28% shooting from the field.
The second half saw Gammage (pictured left) take control from the outside, making 3-of-6 shots from the three-point range over the final 20 minutes of play. Gammage finished 6-for-15 from the field for the game, making 5-of-12 from downtown in finishing with a team-high 21 points.
Edwards (pictured right) was a mismatch inside for the Gauchos, finishing with 19 points and six rebounds in the win. She was 9-of-11 from the free throw line, finishing with a team-high six steals for the night.
Saddleback shot 51% from the field for the night, including 54% in the second half of play in the win. The Gauchos improved to 19-4 overall with the win and 5-2 in Orange Empire Conference play.
Saddleback will travel to Cypress College next Wednesday. Tip-off is set for 5:30 PM.
Santa Ana fell to 5-16 overall and 0-7 in conference play with the loss. Janelle Flores finished with a game-high 24 points in the loss.
1/26/12: Big second half keeps Gauchos in OEC race
The Saddleback women’s basketball team went on a 10-0 run in the second half in defeating Riverside College, 55-48, on Wednesday night at Cal Baptist University. With the win, the Gauchos remain one-game behind both Cypress College and Fullerton College in Orange Empire Conference play.
Saddleback opened up a 12-1 lead to begin the game but as we have seen many times in recent weeks, it once again dissipated quickly as Riverside went to the locker room with a 24-23 lead. The Gauchos then made another big run early in the second half, outscoring the Tigers 10-0 over a 3:52 span in opening up a 37-30 lead with 11:24 remaining in the game. It would be too much for a Riverside team that has just seven players on the active roster, as Saddleback would open up as much as a 10-point lead in the closing minutes.
Raven Gammage (pictured left) and Shalae Edwards (pictured right) had outstanding nights, scoring 21 and 20 points respectively despite the team shooting just 27% from the field. Gammage made just 5-of-18 from the field, but was 4-of-11 from three-point range and 7-of-8 from the free throw line in leading both teams in scoring. Edwards was rock solid in the middle, making 6-of-12 shots while recording 11 rebounds and a team-leading four steals. DonQuenae Townsend and Shala Kirkpatrick were also very solid on the glass, leading Saddleback with 12 rebounds apiece.
Saddleback showed a lot of grit in the defensive end, holding Riverside to just 24% shooting for the night. The Tigers made only 1-of-16 shots from three-point range while committing 17 turnovers.
Saddleback improved to 18-4 overall and 4-2 in Orange Empire Conference play with the win. The Gauchos will open the second round of OEC play on Friday night at home against Santa Ana College. Saddleback defeated Santa Ana 72-64 on January 4, with Shalae Edwards scoring 22 points. Tip-off is set for 5:30 PM.
1/24/12: Site and times for Riverside game have changed
The site and times have changed for Saddleback’s men’s and women’s basketball games against Riverside City College on Wednesday, January 25th, as the Tigers’ gymnasium is still being renovated. All of Riverside’s home games are being played at Cal Baptist University, 8432 Magnolia Avenue, in Riverside.
The men’s game will tip-off at 6:30 p.m. with the women’s game to follow at 8:30 p.m. These game times are an hour later and were determined by Cal Baptist University officials.
1/18/12: Gauchos pillage the Pirates in latest win
The Saddleback women’s basketball team sprinted out to a comfortable lead in the first half of play in cruising to a 60-48 win on Wednesday night at the Saddleback Gymnasium. Shala Kirkpatrick (pictured) scored 19 points as the Gauchos improved to 17-4 on the season and 3-2 in Orange Empire Conference play.
Kirkpatrick was a mismatch under the basket for the Pirates, making good on 9-of-12
shots while also leading Saddleback with 16 rebounds for the night. Shalae Edwards added 16 points and Rina Towne and Raven Gammage both chipped in 10 as the Gauchos
dominated the game on the glass, outrebounding the Pirates 44-30.
Saddleback led by 20 points for much of the second half before emptying the bench for the final eight minutes of play. The Gauchos were solid all night long on the defensive end, forcing Orange Coast into 20 turnovers while recording 15 steals on the night.
Saddleback will have Friday night off before traveling to Riverside next Wednesday evening. Game time is set for 7:30 PM at Cal Baptist University.
1/17/12: Gauchos bounce back with non-conference win
The Saddleback women’s basketball team bounced back from a disappointing loss last Friday by winning a non-conference battle over Grossmont College on Monday evening at Horizon High School. Rina Towne (pictured) led a balanced Gaucho attack as Saddleback prevailed over the Griffins, 56-43.
The Gauchos came at the Griffings from all angles, led by Towne with 16 points. Raven Gammage added 14 points and Shalae Edwards had 13 points as Saddleback made 9-of-18 shots from three-point range in the win.
Saddleback led 29-21 at halftime before taking control in the second half of play. The Gauchos went on a 12-4 run to open the second frame, opening up a 17-point lead with 15:35 remaining in regulation.
Saddleback hopes the win on Monday will give them a boost of confidence headed into a Wednesday night showdown with Orange Coast College at Saddleback Gymnasium. The Gauchos enter the game 16-4 overall, but sitting in fourth place overall in the Orange Empire Conference (2-2), a half game ahead of the Pirates. OCC enters the game 9-11 overall and 1-2 in OEC play. Game time is set for 7:30 PM.
1/12/12: Gauchos do some Gammage control with big win at IVC
The Saddleback women’s basketball team bounced back from a loss last week with a 63-59 win at Irvine Valley College on Wednesday night in the second half of the President’s Cup double-header. The Gauchos battled from behind to clip the Lasers in winning their 10th game in 11 tries.
Saddleback had not experienced coming back from a loss since early December, so some wondered how the Gauchos would handle the situation heading into Wednesday night’s battle between two programs that know each other well. Saddleback looked a bit shaky at first, trailing by as many as eight points in the first half before eventually going into the intermission down 35-30. The Gauchos, however, came out with a sense of purpose in the second half, scoring nine of the first 11 points in grabbing the lead in the first four minutes. The game would remain close the rest of the way, with four lead changes before Saddleback eventually took the lead for good as Nicole Rollinight would make a layup with 1:38 remaining to put the Gauchos up 59-57. Raven Gammage (pictured) would make four free throws in the final 17 seconds to give Saddleback a hard-fought 63-59 win
Gammage was the leader on offense for the Gauchos all night, finishing with 20 points and continuously frustrating the Lasers from the outside. She finished 5-of-7 from 3-point range, also leading Saddleback with three assists and three steals. The Gauchos also had a big advantage in rebounding, holding a 32-24 edge for the night as Shala Kirkpatrick led the way with nine.
Saddleback improved to 15-3 overall and 2-1 in Orange Empire Conference play with the win. The Gauchos will now have a tough trip to Fullerton College on Friday night to face a Hornet team tied with Saddleback for second place in conference play. Game time is set for 7:30 PM.
1/6/12: Gauchos fall in conference home-opener
The Saddleback women’s basketball team came into the Orange Empire Conference home-opener riding a nine-game winning streak, and hadn’t lost a game since December 2 when they fell to Long Beach City College in the opening game of the Chaffey College Tournament. The Gauchos, however, saw their winning streak come to an end on Friday night at home in falling to Cypress, 61-52.
Saddleback looked fantastic out of the gate, opening up an 8-0 lead over the first 2.5 minutes. The lead would be short-lived, however, as Cypress scored the next 10 points of the game and 17 of the next 19, eventually taking a 31-24 lead at the break.
The second half started out the same as the first, as Saddleback once again came out of the gate hot, outscoring Cypress 18-10 over the first nine minutes to once again grab the lead at 42-41. Unfortunately, the lead was once again very short before Cypress would make another run in taking a comfortably lead down the stretch.
One of the story lines of the game was leading scorer Shalae Edwards, who suffered through an off night. Edwards came into the game averaging 16.6 points-per-game, but would not score her first point until the 16:07 mark of the second half. She would finish with five points on 1-of-6 shooting from the field.
Saddleback was led by Desiree Ale (pictured), who finished with 15 points for the night. Ale was 5-for-11 from the field, making good on 3-of-5 from three-point range. Aside from Ale, however, the Gauchos struggled to find the bottom of the basket, shooting just 27% from the field on the night, and 25% from three-point range.
The loss drops Saddleback to 14-3 on the season and 1-1 in Orange Empire Conference play. Cypress improved to 11-8 overall and 1-1 in OEC play with the win. Melissa Jensen and Donn Ka’anoi led the Chargers with 12 points apiece in the win.
The Gauchos will play again on Wednesday night at Irvine Valley College. Game time is set for 7:30 PM.
1/5/12: Gauchos pull away from Dons in OEC opener
The Saddleback women’s basketball team won its ninth straight game on Wednesday with a 72-64 win over Santa Ana College. Shalae Edwards scored 22 points while Shala Kirkpatrick recorded 11 rebounds as the Gauchos improved to 14-2 on the season.
Saddleback hadn’t played a game in over two weeks, and at times it showed as they struggled to put away a Santa Ana team that entered the contest with just four wins on the season. The Gauchos, however, scored 33 points over the final 15 minutes in shaking off the rust and opening Orange Empire Conference play with a win on the road.
Edwards scored 22 points in just 26 minutes after heading to the intermission with three personal fouls. She finished the game 7-of-13 from the field, making good on 8-of-11 free throws. Edwards also finished with eight rebounds as Saddleback controlled the glass with a 47-40 advantage on the boards.
Kirkpatrick was the breadwinner on the glass, finishing with 11 rebounds on the night. She was tough in the defensive end all night long, also recording two steals and a blocked shot.
Not to be outdone, Raven Gammage turned in another solid performance, scoring 18 points. Gammage was 5-for-12 from three-point range, also making 3-of-4 from the free throw line.
Saddleback improved to 14-2 on the season, and with it won its ninth straight game. It is the longest winning streak for the program since winning 18-straight games back in 2002-03. The Gauchos finished 29-3 in 2002-03, losing to Mt. San Antonio College in the regional finals.
12/19/11: Gauchos run down Cougars in OCC finals
The Saddleback women’s basketball team had to come from behind in beating College of the Canyons in the Orange Coast Holiday Classic finals on Sunday. The Gauchos trailed by as many as 14 points with seven minutes remaining before beating the Cougars in overtime, 79-72.
Saddleback forced overtime when Shala Kirkpatrick buried two free throws with five seconds remaining. From there on, the Gauchos controlled the extra frame, beating a Canyons team that entered the contest 8-4 and rated No. 15 in the state.
Shalae Edwards (pictured) was a dominating force on Sunday, scoring 25 points with 12 rebounds in being the tournament MVP. Joining Edwards on the all-tournament team were both Rina Towne and Desire Ale.
For Saddleback, it was their eighth straight win on the season since losing to Long Beach City on December 2 in the opening game of the Chaffey College Tournament. It is the first eight-game winning streak for the program in four years, when they opened the 2007-08 campaign 8-0.
Saddleback will now have the holiday season off before opening Orange Empire Conference play on January 4 at Santa Ana College. The Gauchos climbed to No. 5 in the state in RPI (ratings percentage index) with the tournament title on Sunday.
12/17/11: Saddleback women win top-10 battle in OCC opener
The Saddleback women’s basketball team opened up the Orange Coast Holiday Classic with a tough challenge, facing another top-10 team in the opening game of the three-day event. The Gauchos battled through some cold shooting from the outside to beat the Panthers 63-62 in advancing to the winner’s bracket.
Saddleback made only 3-of-21 shots from three-point range, but made the shots when it counted from the charity stripe in holding on for a win against the No. 7 team in the state. The No. 9 Gauchos received two free throws from Raven Gammage with under 15 seconds remaining to take a 63-62 lead. Chaffey would then turn the ball over in the final seconds as Saddleback improved to 11-2 on the season.
Gammage had an off night, making just 1-of-15 shots for the game from the field, but managed to bury all four free throws in the win. Saddleback made 12-of-13 free throws for the game, setting a single-game team record, and breaking the old record of 13-for-15 against Fullerton College in 2004-05.
DonQuenae Townsend and Rina Towne (pictured) led the Gauchos with 13 points apiece on the afternoon. Townsend finished 4-for-6 from the field. Towne finished 6-of-9 from the field, also pulling down eight rebounds.
Saddleback outrebounded Chaffey 49-40 for the game, as Shalae Edwards led the was for the Gauchos with 13 boards.
Saddleback will face the winner of Irvine Valley College and Palomar College on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 5:30 PM.
Chaffey fell to 10-2 with the loss.
12/12/11: Gaucho women capture Allan Hancock title
The Saddleback women’s basketball team took home first place in the annual Allan Hancock College Tournament on Saturday, defeating Barstow College, 57-42, in the finals. The Gauchos have now five straight games, their longest winning stream in four seasons.
Saddleback is now 10-2 on the season after winning the AHC tourney, and currently has the No. 8 RPI ranking in the state. The Gauchos defeated Cuesta, Oxnard and Barstow by an average of 16 points over the weekend. They held a 9-3 Barstow team to 30% shooting in the finals on Saturday, forcing the Vikings into 17 turnovers.
For Saddleback, it was the first five-game winning streak since winning six in a row in 2007-08 from January 30 to February 15. The Gauchos also won eight straight games during the 2007-08 campaign, starting the season 8-0.
Saddleback will play again in the Orange Coast College Holiday Classic, starting on Friday. The Gauchos will open the tournament against Chaffey College at 1:30 PM in a matchup of two top-10 teams. Saddleback was rated No. 10 in the state in the latest Coach’s Poll, released on December 5. Chaffey is currently 9-2 on the season, and rated No. 9 in the latest poll. The Panthers won the Irvine Valley College Tournament this past weekend, defeating San Diego City College, Orange Coast College and Glendale College, Arizona.
12/10/11: Gaucho women cruise into Allan Hancock finals
The Saddleback women’s basketball team completed its second convincing win in the Allan Hancock College Tournament with a 53-42 win over Oxnard College on Friday night. The Gauchos will face Barstow College in the finals today at 5:00 PM.
Although stats were not available for the game, Saddleback improved to 9-2 with the win, and will face a Barstow team with an equal 9-2 record. The Gauchos won the opening game of the tournament on Thursday with a convincing 78-50 win over Cuesta College.
Saddleback is rated No. 10 in the state and No. 8 in Southern California Coach’s Poll, released on December 5. The Gauchos are the top-rated team in the state rankings from the Orange Empire Conference, and have the No. 8 RPI rating in the state.
11/23/11: Gauchos beat East LA for tournament title
The Saddleback women’s basketball team defeated East Los Angeles College, 77-73, in the championship game of the inaugural Lady Gaucho Classic on Wednesday night at the Saddleback Gymnasium. Shalae Edwards led Saddleback in the win, scoring 17 points and earning the tournament Most Valuable Player.
Saddleback held a sizeable lead for most of the second half before East LA mounted a big comeback. The Gauchos ended up holding on for the win, as the Huskies called an inadvertent timeout with under a second remaining and had no timeouts remaining. Rina Towne stepped up and buried both technical foul free throws, thus giving Saddleback the win.
Edwards (left) scored 51 points in three games, making good on 7-of-9 shots on Wednesday night in the win. She also led the Gauchos with 11 rebounds, playing the final eight minutes with four fouls.
Also making the all tournament team for Saddleback was Shala Kirkpatrick (right), who was 4-for-5 from the field in the second half. She finished with 32 points and 19 rebounds over the three-day tournament.
Saddleback finished the night shooting 47% from the field, making 6-of-20 from three-point range. East Los Angeles struggled from the field for most of the night, making just 1-of-11 from three-point range for the evening.
Saddleback improved to 5-1 on the season with the win. The Gauchos will play next in the Chaffey College Tournament starting a week from Friday.
East Los Angeles fell to 5-1 with the loss.
11/22/11: Gauchos cruise into tournament finals
The Saddleback women’s basketball team cruised into the Lady Gaucho Classic finals with a 75-57 win over Los Angeles Trade Tech on Tuesday evening at the Saddleback Gymnasium. Shala Kirkpatrick led the Gauchos with 18 points as Saddleback advanced to the finals where they will meet East Los Angeles College.
Saddleback led 43-24 at the intermission and went on a 14-0 run to start the second half. The Gauchos led by as many as 36 points with 12 minutes remaining before going to the bench for the remainder of the game.
Kirkpatrick finished 9-of-13 from the field, playing just 19 minutes, most of which came in the first half. She also led the Gauchos with 14 rebounds, as Saddleback completely dominated the game on the glass, holding a 76-38 in rebounding. The 76 rebounds was a new program record, breaking the old record of 69 set against Los Angeles Valley College during the 1995-96 season.
Saddleback advanced to the tournament finals where they will meet East Los Angeles College, who was a 71-58 winner over Pasadena City College. Game time is set for 4:00 PM. The Gauchos enter the contest at 4-1 on the season while East LA is a perfect 5-0. Both teams are rated in the top-20 in the state in the latest CCCWBCA poll with Saddleback coming in at No. 10 ad East LA at No. 19.
11/21/11: Women’s basketball opens Gaucho Classic with style
The Saddleback women’s basketball team opened the Lady Gaucho Classic with an impressive 76-52 win over Cerro Coso College on Monday night at the Saddleback Gymnasium. Raven Gammage and Shalae Edwards led the Saddleback attack, combining for 36 points.
Gammage (left) finished with five three-pointers, tying a program record while scoring 17 points. Edwards finished with 19 points, making 9-of-14 shots on the night.
Saddleback opened up a 30-point lead five minutes into the second half behind Gammage, who was red hot from the outside to start the second half. She finished 5-of-15 from behind the arc, missing her last five attempts in an attempt to break the record.
Edwards (right) was consistent all night, leading a Saddleback attack that also dominated the game on the glass. Saddleback outrebounded the Coyotes 52-39 for the night, with DonQuenae Townsend leading the way with nine.
Saddleback will play Los Angeles Trade Tech College in the semifinals on Tuesday night at 7:00 PM. LATT was a 56-49 winner over Palomar College on Monday. The other semifinal will have East Los Angeles College facing Pasadena City College. East LA defeated Eastern Arizona College 67-50 while Pasadena City defeated Southwestern College, 70-67.
Saddleback improved to 3-1 on the season while Cerro Coso fell to 1-3.
11/14/11: Women’s basketball comes up short in Mt. SAC finals
The women’s basketball team showed a lot of reasons to optimistic about the 2011-12 season over the weekend when it opened the campaign at the very challenging Mt. San Antonio College Tournament. The Gauchos made it all the way to the championship game before falling to host Mt. SAC in the finals, 69-60.
Saddleback defeated two very talented programs in San Joaquin Delta College on Friday and San Bernadino Valley College on Saturday before taking on the host Mounties in the finals on Sunday. The Gauchos had a 28-25 halftime lead in the finals before a cold-shooting night finally caught up with them. Saddleback made just 8-of-15 free throws in the second half, and lost to the perennial power Mt. San Antonio team despite outrebounding them 40-28 for the game.
DonQuenae Townsend (left) led the Saddleback attack on Sunday with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Shalae Edwards also chipped in 12 points and nine rebounds while Raven Gammage finished in double-figures for a third straight game, adding 10 points.
“We were very encouraged at what we saw over the weekend,” head coach Fentriss Winn said. “This is the first time a lot of these players have ever played together in a game environment. To beat two very solid programs and make a good showing against a power program in the finals is reason to be optimistic. We have a long ways to go, but we walked away with a lot of positives.”
Saddleback will play again next as host of the Lady Gaucho Classic, which opens on November 21. The Gauchos will open the tournament against Cerro Coso College at 7:00 PM next Monday night.
11/13/11: Women’s basketball advances to Mt. SAC finals
The women’s basketball team is off to a great start to the 2011-12 season, playing in the rugged Mt. San Antonio College Tournament. The Gauchos advanced to the title game after knocking off a second straight highly regarded opponent on Saturday night, a 62-59 win over San Bernadino Valley College.
Saddleback won the opening game of the tournament with a 78-70 win over San Joaquin Delta College, a program that had six starters returning from a 22-10 season a year ago. The Gauchos had five players in double-figures, led by Raven Gammage’s (left) 16 points and DonQuenae Townsend’s 15 points and nine rebounds.
Saddleback then won again on Saturday night, defeating a San Bernadino program that was 27-3 a year ago and the No. 2 seed in the Southern California playoffs. No stats were available after the game, but the Gauchos will now play host Mt. San Antonio in the championship game today at 3:15 PM. Mt. San Antonio finished the 2010-11 season 24-8, losing to eventual state champion Santa Rosa College in the state semifinals.
Women’s basketball opens on Friday at Mt. SAC
The Saddleback women’s basketball team will open the 2011-12 campaign at the Mt. San Antonio College Tournament on Friday in Walnut, California. The Gauchos will open against San Joaquin Delta College at 3:00 PM, in a tournament filled with talented programs.
Saddleback is optimistic of a big turnaround after a disappointing 9-19 a season ago. The Gauchos have a lot more athleticism on the court, and a handful of athletes with experience at other colleges that have transferred into the program.
The first opponent, San Joaquin Delta, is no easy task to start the season as they finished 22-10 in 2010-11, losing to eventual state champion Santa Rosa College in the regional semifinals. The Mustangs were the No. 5 seed in the Northern California playoffs, and return six players from that squad.
Depending on what happens on Friday in game one of the tournament, Saddleback will play either San Bernadino Valley College or Compton College on day two. San Bernadino finished the season 27-3 a year ago and was the No. 2 seed in the Southern California regionals, losing to Canyons in the semifinals.
In addition to the aforementioned programs, Canyons, Mt. SAC and Riverside are all in the field in the other half of the bracket. Host Mt. SAC was the No. 3 seed a year ago for the SoCal playoffs and a participant in the state tournament, finishing the season 21-9 and losing to eventual state champion Santa Rosa in the state semifinals. Canyons was the No. 7, finishing 24-8 before falling to Mt. SAC in the regional finals. Riverside was a surprise in the playoffs, knocking off No. 4 seed Cerritos before eventually falling to Orange Coast in the regional semifinals and finishing 18-13 for the season.
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The Saddleback women’s basketball season came to an end on Friday night at Chaffey College in the opening round of the Southern California playoffs, but they didn’t go down without a fight. The Gauchos fell behind by as many as 21 points before falling to the Panthers, 
The Saddleback College basketball teams will both be in action this evening at different venues, but the folks at KSBR Radio are not letting that be a logistical problem. KSBR (88.5 FM) will broadcast both games live on the radio, with the women’s game starting at 5:30 PM and joining the men in progress at the completion of the women’s game. 
The Saddleback women’s basketball team will open the playoffs at Chaffey College at 5:30 PM this evening, and KSBR will be on hand to give you all the play-by-play action live from Rancho Cucamonga. 
For the first time in four years the women’s basketball team has qualified for the Southern California playoffs. The Gauchos earned the No. 9 seed in the SoCal playoffs, and will open at Chaffey College on Friday evening. 
The Saddleback women’s basketball team made a big comeback on Friday night against Riverside City College, but saw it come up just a bit short in losing the regular season finale. The Gauchos fell to the Tigers, 
Shala Kirkpatrick
Something was definitely “off” in Saddleback’s 63-50 loss to visiting Irvine Valley College on Friday night, and it had more to do with than just the shooting.
The Saddleback women’s basketball team needed a win on Friday night at home against Santa Ana College to keep pace in Orange Empire Conference play. The Gauchos delivered as 
The Saddleback women’s basketball team bounced back from a disappointing loss last Friday by winning a non-conference battle over Grossmont College on Monday evening at Horizon High School. 
The Saddleback women’s basketball team came into the Orange Empire Conference home-opener riding a nine-game winning streak, and hadn’t lost a game since December 2 when they fell to Long Beach City College in the opening game of the Chaffey College Tournament. The Gauchos, however, saw their winning streak come to an end on Friday night at home in falling to Cypress, 
The Saddleback women’s basketball team took home first place in the annual Allan Hancock College Tournament on Saturday, defeating Barstow College, 57-42, in the finals. The Gauchos have now five straight games, their longest winning stream in four seasons.
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