The women’s basketball team for Cerritos won a tough game on Nov. 16 at 5 p.m. versus Grossmont, as they won 55-50 and won three of their last four games.
During the first quarter, the Falcons had a tough time scoring and allowing Grossmont to score around 70% from the three-point range and around 60% of their two-pointers.
Grossmont started the first half with a 10-1 run as the Falcons were struggling to stop Grossmont’s offense and put points on the board.
The Falcons tend to trap Grossmont on the left and right side of the court, never on the center part of the court, and Grossmont would play suffocating defense.
Freshman Bridgette McIntyre (No. 3), the Guard for the Falcons, helped the Falcons get back on track as she had five points and shot 33% from three and 40% from two that half.
Both coaches were vocal with their team, yelling to them the plays and what defensive or offensive, sets they should be in.
Grossmont however kept pushing the pedal as they went on a 9-5 run to end the half as they led 21-9.
The second half had Cerritos up with a 5-3 run with around eight minutes left in the half; however, the scoring slowed down as the next score would be made at three minutes left.
Grossmont and Cerritos played tough defense on one another, holding each other to less than 30% from two and 20% from three.
Cerritos drew six fouls and had 12 rebounds they were not able to score points off turnovers or free throws as the Falcons went 17% at the line.
They also had seven steals, four coming from Miah Nayback (No. 21), the Freshman guard, they still had trouble with scoring on the offensive end.
With Nayback and Denise Cortez (No. 2), both Freshman guards, scoring with less than 30 seconds left, the Falcons cut the lead to 25-17.
The Falcon’s head coach, Trisha Kozlowski, would sub in her whole bench at times and one reason why she’d do that is to get fresher legs.
Things slowly pick up in the third quarter as Nayback continued contributing big for the Falcons, scoring a quarter-high five points, shooting 100% from two-point range and scoring 1-2 free throws.
However, the lead is getting smaller as the Falcons are now only down by six, with the score being 39-33.
The Falcons were slowly cutting Grossmont’s lead until the fourth quarter when Cerritos was firing on all cylinders.
When it felt like all hope was lost, the Falcons began the quarter with a Nayback lay-up and Brianna Flores, Sophomore Guard/Forward, shooting a three that would cut the lead to 39-38, get used to that name.
Grossmont came back with a quick 5-0 run but the Falcons weren’t going away that quickly, as another layup and a huge Nayback three gets the lead back down to three.
With four minutes left in the game and missed opportunities from both teams, the Falcons made a jump shot and Flores made yet another three, cutting the Grossmont lead to two yet again.
After a missed jump shot by Grossmont, Flores hit another three for the Falcons with around three minutes left in the game and the Falcons’ first lead, 51-46.
The men’s basketball team is on the right side of the court as they support the women’s team.
The energy from the players, fans and photographers was raised from that one play.
Grossmont called a full-time out and hit a layup, cutting the Falcons’ lead to three, but Flores hit another three to give the Falcons a 54-48 lead and icing the game for Cerritos.
The Falcons won 55-50 as they improve to 3-2 overall and they’ll be playing at home against West Los Angeles on Nov. 18 at 5 p.m.
