Women’s Basketball Celebrates Sophomores in Final Regular Season Home Game

After only scoring five points in the first half, the Riverside City College women's basketball charged back to make things interesting in a big game against the Irvine Valley College Lasers. The game produced a playoff atmosphere with this contest have major seeding implications. The Tigers fought until the very end, but fell short down the stretching leading to a 70-62 loss.

Prior to the opening tip, Riverside honored their six sophomores that have contributed two strong years to the Tiger's program. They featured Shannon Jordan, Maxine Najera, Ashley Smith, Mya Clark, Marie Diop and Ayanna Bourgeois.

It was a sluggish opening frame, but the Tigers picked it up in the second quarter to halt Irvine Valley to a mere seven points while scoring 11 points of their own to set up a competitive second half.

The Tigers pulled to within two points early in the third quarter due in part to two free throws from freshman guard N'Dya Parks. After IVC went on a mini run, Smith pulled the Tigers within one point on a jumper. Parks followed two possessions later with a pair of buckets at the charity stripe to hand Riverside a two-point lead, which they carted into the final frame.

It was a back and forth affair in the final 10 minutes. Both teams traded the advantage eight times, but the Tiger's final two meaningful possessions hurt them after committing consecutive turnovers leading to the defeat.

Parks led the squad with a career high 25 points. It is her second time in the past three games she finished with 20 or more points. She added seven rebounds, two steals and an assist in the process.

Smith followed with 10 points and five rebounds, while freshman center Janara Williams came off the bench for 10 points.

The Tigers went 0-for-9 from long range as opposed to IVC's 38.9 percent clip. They outrebounded IVC, 52-39, and coughed the ball up two times fewer than the Lasers.