Women’s Basketball Hosts Inaugural Title IX Tournament, Defeats Napa Valley

The Riverside City College women's basketball team narrowly missed postseason action last year after placing fourth in the Orange Empire Conference (OEC) and posting a record two games below .500. They looked to remedy that situation by kicking off their season by hosting the Napa Valley College Knights in the Inaugural Title IX Tip Off on home hardwood.

In a roster tattered with returning talent and new faces, the Tigers worked their way to a season-opening victory by the final score of 63-53.

Riverside outscored Napa Valley in every quarter but the fourth behind a 33.3 field goal percentage mark. Napa Valley matched that output, but the amount of second chance opportunities for the Tigers put them in the advantage. Riverside bucketed 21 points on second chance opportunities to Napa Valley's mere two.

The Tigers dominated the boards by outrebounding the Knights 54-41, while also forcing the Knights to cough up the ball 24 times; six fewer times than the Tigers.

Freshman Makayla Roberts acted as Ms. Everything on the floor by hauling in a team-high eight rebounds, dishing out six assists and scoring six points. She was effective on the defensive front by pocketing a game-high five steals.

Sophomore tandem Shanon Jordan and Neiya Hamilton shared the team-high points total at 11 despite going a combined 9-for-22 from the floor. Jordan ran the offense at the point guard position leading to three assists, while Hamilton rose up for five boards.

Sophomore Maxine Nejera flushed 10 points in a starting role to go along with four rebounds and two blocks. Sophomore Marie Diop chipped in six point off the bench after cutting lanes and finding herself open on multiple plays. Freshman Antieya Brown worked hard down low leading to five points.