Santa Rosa Junior College wasted little time asserting control Jan. 20, scoring within the first two minutes and cruising past American River College, 58-29.
The Bear Cubs emphasized early ball movement and aggressiveness from the opening tip, a focus head coach Lacey Campbell said helped pace the momentum.
“We started with really good ball movement and were aggressive to the rim,” Campbell said. “That was our focus coming in — to move the ball, find the open shot and be aggressive.”
Santa Rosa shot 41.1% from the field and relied on balanced production across the lineup.
Forward Jordan Washington led all scorers with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting and added 5 rebounds, 3 steals and a block in 19 minutes.
Forward Amanda Hart provided a spark off the bench, scoring 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting and pulling down 6 rebounds.
The Bear Cubs finished with 33 rebounds and 15 assists while forcing 14 turnovers and committing just 8. The team went 4-of-13 from 3-point range and 8-of-12 from the free-throw line.
Forward Kaia Eubanks said the early basket helped the team settle in and build momentum.
“It’s important to get a start early,” Eubanks said. “Getting that first shot helps us settle in and get going as a team.”
Santa Rosa focused on protecting the ball and attacking American River’s zone defense, an area the team has emphasized in practice.
“Our focus was taking care of the ball and moving it against the zone,” Eubanks said. “We’ve been working on penetrating the defense and finding openings in the middle.”
Washington said the fast start energized the team on both ends of the floor.
“These early baskets give us the energy to build off,” Washington said. “It helps set the tone for the rest of the game.”
Defensively, Santa Rosa pressured the ball and communicated early, limiting American River’s opportunities.
“We came out aggressive and communicated really well,” Washington said. “That helped us get stops early.”
The win capped a strong opening month for Santa Rosa, which began the new year by winning five of its first six games in January.
The Bear Cubs started conference play with a 71-53 home game against San Joaquin Delta College on Dec. 27, followed by victories over Diablo Valley College, Cosumnes River College, Sierra College, Sacramento City College and Modesto Junior College. Santa Rosa’s lone setback during the stretch came Jan. 6 in a 56-43 loss to Folsom Lake College before the team rebounded with four straight wins.
Despite the lopsided result on Jan. 20, coach Campbell said the Bear Cubs still have room to improve, particularly on offense.
“Honestly, I didn’t think we executed that well,” Campbell said. “We moved the ball, but at times we overpassed instead of being ready to score. I expected us to play at a higher level.”
Santa Rosa briefly lost guard Anabel Arcilla to injury in the fourth quarter. Head coach Lacey Campbell said Arcilla re-aggravated a recurring issue and expects her to return soon.
“This wasn’t our best game, but conference wins matter,” Campbell said. “Now we’re focused on the next one.”
Santa Rosa continues conference play Jan. 23 with a 7:30 p.m. road game against San Joaquin Delta College.
