Cold-shooting MJC women drop home opener
The women’s basketball teams from Reedley and Modesto Junior College walked onto the MJC court Thursday night with a combined record of 1-8.
Which meant both saw an opportunity – Reedley for win No. 1 and the Pirates in their home opener.
The puzzle pieces didn’t fit for the home team as the Tigers showed more offensive punch and pulled away in the second half for a 56-43 nonleague victory.
MJC (1-5) led 11-5 after the first six minutes, thanks to Kaitlin Gundlach scoring nine of her team-leading 16 points. Reedley (1-4) took charge from the midway point of the first half, as Jacqueline Robles worked the paint for 22 points.
“We started strong, but we couldn’t keep it going,” Gundlach said. “I don’t know if it was nerves or family to impress.”
Modesto scored a win over Marin at the Las Positas tournament last week, a breakthrough given that the Pirates had lost 17 in a row stretching back to last season. The Pirates hope they can surpass their 6-19 mark in 2013, but they’ll need better shooting than they showed against Reedley.
The Tigers made five three-pointers to Modesto’s one, with point guard Diana Carmona connecting in the final seconds. Hitting only 6 of 17 free throws didn’t help.
Worse, sophomore guard Michelle Bibbs left the game late in the first half after she suffered a broken nose. Simply, it wasn’t Modesto’s night.
Sophomore forward Brianna McGinness carried a 16.6-point average entering the game, but game-long foul trouble threw her off rhythm. She finished with six points, and Reedley pulled away while she sat on the bench.
The Pirates tried to post up McGinness and Gundlach, who can pivot and score near the basket. The Reedley zone tightened as the game wore on, however, and the Modesto turnovers mounted.
Still, Modesto remained within striking distance at 43-37 with 71/2 minutes left before the Tigers’ 10-2 run iced it.
“We’ll just keep driving and looking for our shots,” said Carmona, a Central Valley High School graduate.
Reedley guard Lindsay Juarez swished a three-pointer on the game’s first shot and totaled 11 points. Four Tigers found the range from beyond the arc, and each one was big in a low-scoring game.
Bee staff writer Ron Agostini can be reached at ragostini@modbee.com or (209) 578-2302. Follow him on Twitter @ModBeeSports.
This story was originally published November 20, 2014 at 9:34 PM with the headline "Cold-shooting MJC women drop home opener."