Last-Minute Comeback Nets Huskies' Big Win over #16 Long Beach City

by Cerwin D Haynes

(thumbnail and photos by Mario Villegas)

Trailing for the entire second half of the game, East Los Angeles College women's basketball looked like they were about to let slip a golden opportunity to beat a State ranked opponent in #16 Long Beach City College. But as head coach Bruce Turner noted, "they hung tough", waiting until the literal last minute to take the lead on a Kaden Saguchi 16-ft bank shot from the near-wing with 15 seconds left. The shot proved to be the difference: LBCC's Brillana Boyd failed to tie the game when she missed the first of two free throws with two seconds left. Sophomore F/C Asiah Harris hit a late jumper with .4 left to put the cap on a thrilling 76-73 win for the home Green. ELAC improves to 12-11 (2-2) while Long Beach City falls to 18-7 (5-0).

Missed free-throw notwithstanding, the Huskies had to overcome a scorching effort by sophomore F Brillana Boyd who poured in 42 points (14-25 FGs) while pulling down 17 rebounds. To weather such output, the Pack got a career-high effort from freshman PG Moriah Mosley who scored 29 points (12-20 FGs). Sophomore F/G Melanye Ramirez, who had struggled from long range over her past three games (6-32 3FGs), found the mark in timely intervals tonight, shooting 4-9 from three (12 points overall). PG Derricka Millinghaus (seven points, five assists) struggled with her scoring, but it was her baseline drive, spin, and lay-in with 39 seconds left that tied the game at 72-all. 

Speaking of those final 39 seconds: on the ensuing Long Beach inbound pass after Millinghaus' layup, Vikings wing Kyla Sawall received the pass but shuffled her feet ever so slightly before launching a long, downcourt pass. The refs saw it, and called her for traveling. That set up the possession leading to Saguchi's go-ahead banker.

HUSKY BITS

• In ELAC's previous two losses, they shot under 30% from the field (28.4% at Trade Tech and 29.5% versus Mt. SAC). Tonight they returned to a level of respectable shooting, making 41.1% of their shots. They also shot over 30% from three-point range - not great, but a lot better than their previous four games where they averaged 16% from deep.

UP NEXT:

With three games this week, Coach Turner's crew doesn't have a lot of time to celebrate this one. The Huskies take a quick skip down the 60 to visit Rio Hondo College on Wednesday before returning to Monterey Park on Friday to host Pasadena City College. Both upcoming games are at 5pm.