COMMUNITY COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Golden West Wins to Earn State Berth

Golden West earned its eighth consecutive berth in the women’s State basketball tournament with a 70-53 victory over San Diego Mesa Saturday at Golden West.

Cypress and Orange Coast, also in the Orange Empire Conference, will join the Rustlers in the tournament, which starts Thursday at Solano College in Suisun City. Golden West plays Merritt in the first round.

Deana Itow, a freshman guard, had 22 points, 15 in the first half, as Golden West opened a 33-23 halftime lead. Mesa got no closer than six in the second half and that came with 14 minutes 44 seconds left.

But Nicole Quinn made two baskets and Julie Murdent added another and the Rustlers were ahead, 43-31, with 13:06 to play.

Quinn, normally a reserve, started the second half because of an injury and scored eight of the Rustlers’ first 10 points.

Quinn was playing in place of Katie Miner, who hurt her knee diving for the ball in the first half. Miner, with her knee taped, played the final 11:12 of the game.

Mesa, using its trademark press, tried to force Golden West to panic, but Itow and sophomore guard Kristin Brun were able to get the ball up court with little trouble much of the time.

“The big thing is that we handled their press,” Golden West co-Coach Dave Stricklin said.

Murdent, despite second-half foul trouble, finished with 13 points. Michelle Kravick had nine before fouling out and Brun had eight. Brun also had a team-high 14 rebounds.

In other women’s playoff games:

Cypress 70, Ventura 64--Jennifer Johnson scored 24 points and Sara Works scored 22 and grabbed 12 rebounds as the Chargers (24-9) reached the State tournament for the first time. The Chargers play Butte in the first round.

Ventura finishes at 25-6.

Orange Coast 59, Riverside 53--LeAnn Kazmer had 20 points, including making 12 of 16 free throws, as visiting Orange Coast (21-12) earned its second consecutive trip to the State tournament. Orange Coast plays San Mateo in the first round. Riverside finishes 21-12.

LA Harbor plays Lassen in the other first-round game.