Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College women's basketball team "Played for a Cause" Thursday evening in an attempt to raise funds and awareness for the American Diabetes Association but it was spoiled by the Athena's of Claremont-M-S 85-74 despite the Poets controlling almost every facet of the game.
Whittier remains winless on the season at 0-5, 0-1 SCIAC, while Claremont-M-S moves into 2nd place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Standings at 6-1, 1-0 SCIAC.
The Purple & Gold celebrated freshman Margo Campos' (Norwalk, Calif.) birthday last night, while raising awareness for individuals diagnosed with diabetes, which includes Campos who was diagnosed with Type I diabetes her junior year in high school and whom is now "Playing for a Cause".
In probably their best performance on the season, Whittier shot 40% from the field and 46% from three point territory and saw five players record double digit scoring efforts for the first time this season but the youth and inexperience down the stretch got to the Poets as they couldn't maintain their lead midway through the second half.
After seeing two ties early in the contest, Whittier managed to go out in front by seven 21-14 thanks to a 6-0 run sparked by a three pointer by Dannika Navales-Lugtu (San Francisco, Calif.) who tallied a season high 15 points all coming from behind the arc.
The lead then moved to double digits 28-18 capped off with another three pointer from Navales-Lugtu but that's the largest lead the Poets would gather as the Athena's stormed back with a 12-2 run that knotted the game up at 30. Navales-Lugtu would again put the Poets in front by three with yet another deep three pointer but again CMS came back to level the game at 34. Freshman Priscilla Rodriguez (East Los Angeles, Calif.) would knock down a pair of free throws with a minute to play in the half to put WC back in front and then with 14 seconds to play she would add a jumper that gave the Poets a 38-35 advantage heading into the locker room.
Out of the break, Navales-Lugtu continued where she left off hitting a three pointer on the Poets second possession, which was followed by a jumper from Ashley Genie (Whittier, Calif.) and a three pointer from Danielle Quinones (Marin County, Calif.) that put the Poets in front by seven. The Athena's responded with their own 7-0 run that knotted the game up for the sixth time but WC continued their hot shooting getting a three pointer from Nicole Ruffino (Las Vegas, NV) that gave Whittier their final lead with 14:06 to play.
CMS gathered themselves from this point and added two layins by Kimberly Scamman that tied the game up at 50 before the Athena's would take a lead with back to back lay-ups by Madeline Barnes, which they wouldn't relinquish as they would go on to extend their lead to 12 with under a minute to play en route to the 11 point victory.
Rodriguez tallied a career high 12 points off the bench, with 10 coming from Campos who was 4-7 from the field. Quinones totaled 10 points, her largest offensive output this season accompanied with two steals, two assists, and three boards. Ruffino, once again hit double digits finishing with 10 points, while Genie barely missed her first double double of the season with nine points and nine boards.
For CMS, Kyra Ray led all scorers with 18 points on 6-11 shooting, while Scamman and Barnes finished with 17 and 14 points, each respectively. Off the bench, Kris Brackman finished with a double double with 12 points and 10 boards.
Whittier continues with SCIAC play tomorrow, Saturday, December 7 as they take on Redlands with tip-off set for 7:00pm.
