PCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament : Long Beach Doesn’t Leave It to Chance Against UNLV

If Nevada Las Vegas had a chance--really, any chance--of staying with Cal State Long Beach, its coaching staff thought the Rebels’ success was contingent on three things:

--Handling the 49ers’ pressure.

--Making a strong start.

--Scoring early.

Well, No. 2-seeded UNLV failed to score a point until more than four minutes had elapsed in Saturday’s Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. women’s championship basketball game. The Rebels didn’t even make a field goal until there was 14:59 remaining in the first half.

“We didn’t do any of those things,” UNLV Coach Jim Bolla said of the three objectives.

Talk about an understatement. But there was nothing understated about the way the top-seeded 49ers opened against the Rebels, taking a 23-point halftime lead and expanding it to 32 midway through the second half before winning, 79-58, at the Forum.

Once again, junior guard Penny Toler was the driving force behind the 49ers’ success as they won the PCAA tournament for the second straight year. And Toler was named the tournament MVP, having won the honor last year, too.

This time, Toler, who finished with 21 points, had plenty of help from guard Traci Waites. Waites carried a 9.4 scoring average into the tournament, but she had 18 points Friday, and saving the best for last, scored 24 Saturday.

“This is the first time that both Penny and Traci played so well together on the court, “ said Long Beach Coach Joan Bonvicini, whose team is 25-5. “I think we’re playing our best ball now. . . . It’s easy to win when there’s no pressure on you, but we have had pressure on us all year.”

On the other hand, UNLV (24-7) was virtually under no pressure at all, that is, except for Long Beach’s press. Geannine Jordan led the Rebels with 17 points.

Next, for Long Beach, which is ranked No. 8 in the nation, will be the NCAA tournament.

The 49ers, most likely, will make their first appearance in a second-round game next Saturday in the Long Beach campus gym.

Notes

In addition to MVP Penny Toler, the 49ers placed two other players on the all-tournament team: Guard Traci Waites and center Angie Lee. Others named were center Chana Perry of San Diego State, center Pauline Jordan of UNLV and forward Wendy Anae of CS Fullerton.