Solano edges Vaqueros 72-68 in MTXE opener

Solano used an 18-4 run to erase a 10-point second-half deficit on Thursday night and went on to edge SBCC 72-68 in the opening round of the Vaqueros' MTXE women's basketball tournament.

Darla Morales topped Santa Barbara (1-3) with season highs of 18 points and eight rebounds and her twin sister Andrea had 13 points and five boards. Darla hit 5-12 from the field, 7-8 from the charity stripe and didn't have a turnover in 28 minutes. Stella Dulay added 10 points for the Vaqueros. Adrianna Jones topped the Falcons (1-0) with 16 points.

Solano took a 25-19 lead late in the first half but the Vaqueros closed within one, 29-28, at the break, thanks to six straight points by Darla Morales and a free throw by Andrea Morales.

The Falcons, ranked 14th in Northern California, built a 40-34 lead after 2½ minutes of the second half on seven straight points by Jones. Sylvia Hoover-Purter ignited a 20-4 Vaquero run with a three-point play.

Andrea Morales drained a 3-pointer from the right side and Darla Morales followed with a triple from the left baseline, pushing the Vaquero advantage to 54-44 with 11:56 to play. Solano responded with its 18-4 burst and took a 62-58 lead on a driving layup by Jenessa Boling with 4:39 remaining.

"Like we say, basketball is a game of spurts," said SBCC coach Sandrine Krul. "We're playing so hard. Solano is a good program. This was a fun game to watch. I was so impressed with our tenacity and we've shown a great work ethic.

"We're going to get better and better throughout the year. We just need to be consistent."

Victoria Jackson, a 5-1 sophomore guard, filled up the stat sheet with six points, nine rebounds, five assists and six steals. Paige Nealy scored nine points while battling foul trouble and fouled out with 1:09 to play.

The Vaqueros were trailing 69-65 when Andrea Morales threw in a 12-foot runner and drew a foul. She made the free throw with 25.2 seconds left, pulling her team within one.

After Nikki Andaya made two FTs to extend the lead to three, the Vaqueros tried a long in-bound pass that was stolen by Ajanee Rankins. Rankins sank the first of two fouls shots to seal the deal.

Solano won the shooting battle 42 to 35 percent and outrebounded the Vaqueros 49-40. SBCC hit 72 percent from the free-throw line compared to 48 percent for the Falcons.

In other first-round games, Moorpark downed San Bernardino Valley 75-67, Sequoias walloped Riverside City 77-44 and Santa Ana beat San Mateo 77-43.

San Bernardino and Riverside will meet in the first consolation semifinal on Friday at 2 p.m., followed by SBCC vs. San Mateo at 4 p.m.

Moorpark (2-1) will battle Sequoias (6-1), ranked No. 7 in the North, in a 6 p.m. championship semifinal with Santa Ana and Solano playing at 8 p.m.