Rams Clinch Coast title and playoff spot
Even on the brink of a nine-game winning streak, the City College women’s basketball team was given a wake-up call in their second to last conference game against visiting Chabot College.
By Aaron Turner
The Guardsman
Even on the brink of a nine-game winning streak, the City College women’s basketball team was given a wake-up call in their second to last conference game against visiting Chabot College.
In a tale of two halves, the Rams were able to overcome some sloppy play and poor defense and ultimately put away the Gladiators 64-52 Feb. 11, on Sophomore Night at the Wellness Center.
Janis Peterson led the Rams’ scoring with 17 points, and Shawnte Taylor added 15 to counter Chabot’s sophomore guards Charnay Bell and Sharae Davis’ prolific scoring, who had 18 and 13 points, respectively.
The 12-point victory was the Rams’ closest game since losing to Foothill on Jan. 5.
After a back and forth first half, which would see eight total lead changes, the Rams began the second half on a 12-2 run and never looked back. Still, it was a game that, for those donning the home jerseys, was too close for comfort.
“We needed to get back to what we do best as a team,” sophomore forward Shawnte Taylor said. “I think we came out with not a lot of intensity at first. We should have been able to contain [Chabot] more.”
Finding their 3-point stroke and making defensive adjustments helped turn the game around for City College.
Freshman point guard Hallie Meneses, who was matched up against the fleet-footed Bell for much of the game, said the game plan changed after the first half.
“The main adjustment we made was to deny [Bell] the ball, and it seemed to work really well,” Meneses said. “We just had to keep playing hard.”
Leading all scorers in the first half with 15 points, Bell was held to only 3 points the remainder of the night.
Although the Rams will be playing at least one round of playoffs in the comfy confines of the Wellness Center, for the three sophomores, it was their final regular season home game.
“For me, this year has been so much about getting our freshmen prepared for what comes after the regular season,” Taylor said. “Once they get to the playoffs, I think reality will set in, and I think they’ll be ready.”
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