Team Effort, Defense Spark Vaqueros 25-Point Win in WSC Opener

Trinity Scott (Ken Sciallo/Sevilla Photography)
Trinity Scott (Ken Sciallo/Sevilla Photography)
Video Box Score
January 13, 2022

SANTA BARBARA – The SBCC women's basketball team won its third straight game Wednesday at home against Cuesta, pulling away early and staying ahead in a convincing 65-40 win.

Three Vaquero starters scored in double-figures, led by forward Asia Kirven's 16 points on 8-of-12 (66.7%) shooting. Forward Trinity Scott and point guard Katrina Regalado scored 13 and 12, respectively. Guard/forward Isabella Jensen Williams had seven and was dishing all night, also finishing with 10 assists, six steals and five rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED

1st Half

  • The Vaqueros (6-9, 1-0) held Cuesta (7-7, 0-1) scoreless until the 4:34 mark of the opening period, starting the game up 7-0.
  • A three-pointer by guard Berlin Faiaipau started a 12-0 run to end the first. Regalado kept the pace high pushing it often on the fast break. Trinity Scott beat her defender to hit a buzzer beater off glass, sending it to the second with SBCC leading 19-5.
  • SBCC took its largest lead of the first half of 18 as Regalado hit a jumper to cap a stretch of 16 unanswered. However, Cuesta's offense found a rhythm to end the half on a 16-9 run. The Cougars trailed 32-21 at the break.

2nd Half

  • SBCC pushed the lead back up to 16 points on a Regalado layup, but Cuesta answered with six straight to make it 39-29 at the 2:25 mark of the third.
  • The Vaqueros ended the quarter strong and put together another scoring run of 8-0 early in the fourth, taking a 47-29 lead.
  • Continuously beating Cuesta on the inside and urning turnovers into transition points with ease, the Vaquero lead ballooned to 65-36 on an extended 26-7 run in the final minutes.

NOTABLE

  • Santa Barbara never trailed in the game, finishing with an overwhelming edge in a number of categories: 14-0 in fastbreak points, 26-13 in points off turnovers, and 46-16 in points in the paint.
  • The 40 points allowed were the fewest that SBCC has given up this year.
  • The Vaqueros have won three straight games by at least 14 points, averaging an 18.7 margin of victory since Dec. 17.
  • Regalado continues to produce all over the court. She led the Vaqueros with eight rebounds, leading to a handful of coast-to-coast scoring opportunities. She also tallied five assists and shot 50 percent from the field (5-10 FG) for the third time in six outings.
  • Faiaipau was one point shy of a season-high with seven points on 3-of-4 from the field. Forward Sela Dowell did record a new season-high with six points on 3-of-6.

NEXT UP
 Next Wednesday, Jan. 19, the Vaqueros travel to face Allan Hancock at 7:00 p.m. looking to make it four straight victories.