The fourth time is the charm.

The Cerritos women’s basketball team faced host Orange Coast College in the finals of the 11th Annual Coast Christmas Classic for the fourth consecutive year, and finally defeated the Pirates for the championship, 53-50, Sunday.

If that wasn’t enough, the same two teams will play again Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Pirates’ gym for a regularly scheduled contest.

After Falcons’ guard Jennifer Decuir scored with 54 seconds remaining to put Cerritos (11-3) up by three, Orange Coast had two chances to tie the game.

With 39 seconds left, Pirates’ guard Nancy Hatsushi lost the ball out of bounds.

After Cerritos missed a field goal, Orange Coast got the ball back and called time out with 10 seconds left.

With the Falcons playing hard on defense, the Pirates could only get one shot.

Hatsushi launched a three-point attempt with one second remaining that missed the hoop, and the buzzer sounded.

Decuir, who scored 10 points, was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

She called the win a team effort, and said that the player guarding her “was shorter than me, so if I played hard enough, I would get the basket.

“I just took her to the basket.”

Cerritos forwards Antares Vice and Chrystal Johnson were also named to the all-tournament team, along with Orange Coast guards Hatsushi, Lindsey Galasso and Kyra Melville.

Cerritos led 33-23 at the half, holding the Pirates to eight out of 23 shooting from the field.

Orange Coast made only four free throws out of 12 attempts.

In the second half, the Pirates came out hot behind a pair of three-point baskets by Galasso to come within two at 33-31.

Orange Coast took the lead with 6:30 remaining, 46-45, on a basket by center Lauren Murray, who was also fouled on the play.

Murray missed the free throw, and Vice then scored with an assist by Decuir to give Cerritos the lead back, 47-46.

The Pirates came back to within one when Melville sank a three-pointer with 2:45 left.

But they could not put another shot through the hoop, and Decuir scored to put the Falcons ahead, 53-50.