Women’s basketball team falls out of tournament

Young, freshman squad win first match but drop final two

By Robert Clinton, Sports Editor

The women’s basketball team is set to begin its 2014 season and start Bay Valley Conference play against Merritt College in the Gymnasium on Jan. 3.
The Comets opened their pre-season on Nov. 7 by participating in tournament at Mission College in Santa Clara.
Contra Costa College entered the tournament coming off of the programs’ best season since 2010. The team increased its scoring output by 20-points per game while capturing a second place spot in the standings by accumulating a 12-4 record in the BVC.
This seasons squad, mostly consisting of freshman, won its first contest of the tournament against Galvan College 74-57, which was led by guard Ahjana Coleman who tallied 26-points, 5-steals and 3-assists.
CCC, however, dropped its following game to Diablo Valley College 97-84 and lost a heartbreaker to Porterville College 69-72 in its last game of the tournament.
With only two players returning from last season’s high potency offense, which made more 3-pointers than any team in the history of the program – and led the state in scoring, coming together as a unit will be important if the team wants to take implement the winning system Comet coach Paul DeBolt has established.
The Comets were down by 18-points at halftime against DVC. They managed to outscore the Vikings 54-50 in the second half of the loss.
“We just go out and compete,” DeBolt said. “We don’t have the same experience as last year, you just have to go out and try to win games.”
“The tournament was a learning moment, we still have a lot of room to get better,” Comet guard Daziah Pounds said. “Even with only seven healthy players we still know we can compete with anyone.”
After the two hour “battle” with DVC, the Comets final game of the tournament against Porterville College saw them relinquish a decisive lead to eventually lose the contest by two points. Due to injuries, the squad eventually ran out of gas in its last game of the tournament.
“We never gave up and we played together,” CCC guard Sydney Vidal said. “We were exhausted from the day before, our bodies were drained—it felt like war.”
Without the leadership of 2013-14 CCC athlete of the year Jewel Rogers to set the scoring tempo for this season, the weight of carrying the offense falls on the shoulders of the sophomore guard Coleman.
She averaged 14-points 5-rebounds and 3-assists per game for the 2013-14 season.
Early signs indicate Coleman is ready to accept the challenge of added responsibilities to the team, averaging 29.6-points per game in the tournament.
Her productivity increased in each game from 26 points to 29, and finishing the final game against the Pirates with 34 points.
“We have a small group this year,” DeBolt said. “The goal is always to win a championship but it’s too early to set expectations.”