Camargo Grabs 20 Boards, Vaqs Grab Fifth Straight Over Saddleback
By: Aj Nagbe
FULLERTON, Calif. — The Vaqueros defeated Saddleback 58-49 on Thursday night at the Colleen Riley Crossover, extending their win streak to five games.
Santa Barbara seized control after a back-and-forth first half, building a 16-point lead in the third quarter and never relinquishing it.
Amarisse Camargo posted a game-high of 20 rebounds to anchor the Vaqueros' 58-41 advantage on the glass.
That's the first 20-rebound game for a Vaquero since Destinee King on Jan. 18, 2017.
Kaylee Lawson led Santa Barbara with 17 points, while Aariah Fox added 9 points and 4 rebounds. Siena Hoban chipped in 6 points and 5 assists, and Milan Jackson contributed 9 points.
SBCC held Saddleback to 25.4% shooting and limited the up-tempo offense to zero fastbreak points, forcing 15 turnovers while staying disciplined on the defensive end.
The defense was equally impressive on the perimeter, holding Saddleback's leading scorer, Cassidy Beach, to just one point.
SBCC's "two-and-two" philosophy of scoring and getting defensive stops was the difference in the defensive battle.
"Another great team win," said head coach Sandrine Krul. "Amarisse held their best player, Cassidy Beach, to one point, and she's good. Amarisse was locked in… It's just nice, we're just trending up."
Krul emphasized the team's collective mindset and willingness to sacrifice individual success for the group.
"When everybody buys in, it's so nice to coach," she said. "I am so proud of every member of my team. They want other players to have success, and then when they come in, they have success. I have not been a part of a group like that in over a decade, where everybody wants everyone to have success. They're giving up personal glory for the team. That is special."
She also highlighted the defensive performance against Saddleback's high-powered offense.
"Saddleback's good, they're an up-tempo team, they shoot the lights out of the ball, and today our defensive stops were beautiful," Krul said. "We again got our two-and-two." Santa Barbara (9-5) looks to extend its win streak to six as they face Porterville on Friday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m. in the Colleen Riley Crossover at Fullerton College.