Brandon RowleyAs the spring semester begins, the SAC men’s and women’s basketball teams close out their seasons on a high note. Both teams will end their years with a winning record for the first time since 2013.
In a doubleheader Tuesday night the women inched out a victory against Fullerton College 68-65 and the men blew right past Orange Coast College 93-82.
“You need talented players to make plays and that’s what is special about this team,” said women’s head coach Flo Luppani. “They get along very well and it’s just a deep respect for each other. They have each other’s backs, and they’re always happy for each other.”
In the first half against Fullerton, the Hornets and Dons each took small leads resulting in the Dons up three at half.
Santa Ana was led offensively by forward Anaya Beard who is in the top five for points, rebounds and shooting percentage in her conference.
“She works hard, and all of them do, but Anaya is vocal,” said Coach Luppani. “She works hard, she plays hard and she loves setting herself and her teammates up for success.”
The Dons changed their style of play after halftime, taking more close shots, and scoring more efficiently. Santa Ana also played more stringent defense, including guard Larissa Robles who recorded a career-high three blocks, two of which came late in the 4th quarter, providing necessary help in the close game.
“Rissa [Robles] is a competitor, she’s going to make something happen,” said Coach Luppani. “She’s what we needed at the right time in the right place.”
At 18-8, the women will celebrate sophomore night—a celebratory send-off for sophomore players—on Feb. 13
After the conclusion of the women’s game, the men’s team took the court against OCC in their sophomore night and final game of the season.
The Dons proved dominant in the first half, leading by up to 18 in large part due to their rebounding. The Pirates couldn’t get any control of the glass, being out-rebounded 27-52.
“When you don’t shoot the ball very well, you have to rebound,” said head coach David Breig. “We took advantage of that opportunity for rebounds.”
Despite his smaller size for a forward, 6’3 Kelvonte Ellis collected 11 rebounds, adding to his league-leading total of offensive rebounds. He’s also garnered 45 blocks, which is second most in his league.
“I do whatever it takes to make sure my team can gain that competitive edge,” said Ellis.
Santa Ana continued its commanding play through the second half, getting up by 25 points before letting off the gas. They averaged over 80 points per game, good enough for second in their league.
The Dons scoring was led by guard Mac West, a top-five scorer in the conference. “I’m just happy that my teammates trust me to put the ball in the hole and put me in positions as an offensive leader,” said West.
Santa Ana closes out its season with a record of 16-11, its best since 2013.
“It’s all about players, we got the right players in there,” said Coach Breig. “Our conference is the toughest in the state and all of our close losses from previous years flipped to wins and that made the biggest difference.”
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