Orange Coast cleans up on Comets with defense

With starting point guard injured, freshman steps into the lineup and leads the charge defensively for OCC.COSTA MESA -- The Orange Coast College women’s basketball team put on a defensive clinic Tuesday night in a 58-31 season-opening nonconference blowout over Palomar.

The Pirates held the Comets to 25.6% shooting, and forced 28 turnovers against the freshman-laden visitors.

OCC took control of the game during a 6:17 stretch in the first half. The Pirates outscored Palomar, 14-2, to push the lead to 31-11 with less than three minutes to go in the first half.

Jillian Ricks started the run with two baskets from the lane. After a Palomar timeout, Crystal McCormick sunk two jumpers from the left, the second shot from three-point range.

Teeya Fernandez found Madison Parks for a score in the paint. On the Comets’ next possession, Parks blocked a shot to halt Palomar’s offense. After a scramble for the ball in the Palomar backcourt, Devin Hundley found a wide-open McCormick who made the second of her three shots from downtown.

In the second half, the Pirates sankhree-pointers and outscored Palomar 23-14.

The Pirates received scoring from nine different players. Ricks and McCormick led the Pirates with 11 points each.

After the game, Orange Coast Coach Mike Thornton was pleased.

“It was a good effort,” Thornton said. “The girls were playing hard the whole time. I was really impressed with Denning and Ricks.

“These girls have played with great effort. That’s something you just can’t teach,”

All 11 of OCC’s roster players got into the game.

“I think this team has lots of depth,” the coach said. “We’ll be using at least 10 players in most games.”

One player Orange Coast will be without is guard Valerie Katayama. The sophomore rolled her ankle Monday at practice. The point guard will be out for two weeks.

Denning was able to step in for the injured Katayama on Tuesday. The freshman scored nine points and led the Pirates with seven assists. On defense, she had a nose for the ball, making four steals.

“It was more of just a team effort,” Denning said. “I love playing defense. If that’s what the team needs me to do, I’ll do it.”

Thornton was especially impressed with Denning’s effort.

“She plays as hard as anyone on the floor,” Thornton said.

The Pirates (1-0) will play this weekend in the Mount SAC tournament. OCC opens Friday against Compton College.

Nonconference

Orange Coast 58,

Palomar 31

Palomar -- Morales 11, Morrissette 8, Cordova 6, Templeton 2, Darian 2, Young 2.

3-pt. goals -- None.

Fouled out -- Cordova.

Technicals -- None.

Orange Coast -- Ricks 11, McCormick 11, Denning 9, Parks 6, Maxwell 6, Fernandez 5, Castro 5, Hundley 3, Cabral 2.

3-pt. goals -- Denning 3, McCormick 3, Fernandez 1, Hundley 1.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.

MARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)OCC’s Kristen Cabral puts up a shot against Palomar’s Fernanda Morales in the first half of Tuesday night’s game.20051109PO1KOCCONo Caption20051109ipo7joknMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)OCC’s (22), left, tries to draw a foul while putting up a shot against the defense of Palomar’s (34). right, in the first half of Tuesday night’s game.