The article below originally appeared in the San Mateo Daily Journal and is being reprinted with permission.
The College of San Mateo women’s basketball team couldn’t shutoff Santa Monica’s 3-point shooting barrage and fell to the visiting Corsairs, 77-65, in the consolation finals of the Tom Martinez Women’s Basketball Invitational Sunday.
CSM (3-7) scored first, on a jumper by Jenna David, before 3-pointers by all-tournament guard Angelique McDaniel and Aniese Palmore put Santa Monica ahead for good. The Corsairs (6-7), started with a 12-5 run and never looked back as McDaniel and Palmore each sank five 3-pointers.
The Bulldogs did rally at the end, cutting a 24-point, 62-38, deficit in half. That included a 10-2 run over the final 3:30 of play before time ran out.
San Mateo’s comeback hopes were hurt when 5-10 freshman Kate Larson (Notre Dame-Belmont) fouled out with 5:16 left in the game after grabbing eight rebounds and scoring six points.
In the Bulldogs’ 81-72 win over Hartnell on Saturday Larson had CSM’s season high of 23 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Her play was an encouraging highlight of the tournament, according to CSM coach Michelle Warner.
Larson had missed most of CSM’s November games with an injury.
In the consolation semifinal against Hartnell, San Mateo needed several comebacks in the close game, which had 17 lead changes and six ties. The Bulldogs finally took the lead for good with at 55-54 with 8:29 left in the game on a steal and lay-in by freshman guard Amanda Lee (Mills High School), who scored 13 points in the game.
“We played our best game, by far,” said CSM coach Michelle Warner after the Hartnell win. Four Bulldogs scored in double figures, including sophomores Jenna David (Jefferson High School) with 18 and Angelique Gibbs with 12. Freshman Marina Koloamatangi (Half Moon Bay School) added six points.
The Panthers had led, 32-30, at halftime, and had an early 8-point lead at 18-10 after the contest had been deadlocked at 10. Hartnell made eight 3-pointers to none for CSM to stay in contention.
Lee continued her solid play in the final. She led four Bulldogs in double figures Sunday with 18 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Koloamatangi scored 12, David had 11 and Gibbs scored 10.
Santa Monica sank 11 baskets beyond the arc, compared to four for the Bulldogs. CSM had more total field goals, 27-26.
San Mateo will close out 2012 by hosting American River of the Big Eight Conference in a non-league game on Friday at 5 p.m. CSM then resumes play Jan. 4 with a Coast Conference crossover at De Anza.
Reedley College won the tournament championship game, 71-52 over Contra Costa. Ohlone took third place, 53-36, over Allan Hancock.
