SPSCC Women's Basketball Puts Away Pierce in Conference Women’s Basketball Clash

Story by: Grant Clark

OLYMPIA,WA- The Clippers improved their overall record to 7-6 with the win and evened its conference mark at 3-3, placing SPSCC into a tie for third place in the standings with Tacoma Community College. Both teams trail conference leader Lower Columbia (6-0) and second-place Centralia (5-1).

South Puget Sound Community College also received 10 points off the bench from Nikeshia King. In addition to her double-digit scoring effort, Trotter pulled down eight boards and paced the squad with five assists.

The Clippers won the rebounding battle (42-35), outscored the Raiders 34-20 in the paint, and doubled up Pierce on second-chance points (18-6) while turning 37 turnovers into 20 points. SPSCC came away with a season-high 22 steals, getting five from Payten Foster, four apiece from Jackson and Trotter, and three from Honey Let Padasdao as the Clippers' full-court press caused headaches all game long for the Raiders.

SPSCC opened the game with a 7-0 lead, but was held scoreless over a 4-minute span that covered the end of the first quarter and the start of the second. The Raiders took their largest lead at 33-24 with 6 1/2 minutes remaining in the first half before the Clippers rediscovered their offense and closed out the second quarter on a 17-4 run to claim a 50-40 advantage at the intermission.

SPSCC's strong play carried over into the second half as they opened the third quarter on an 11-2 run to establish a 19-point cushion, which proved to be too much of a deficit for Pierce to overcome.

The Clippers will look to win consecutive games for the first time since November when they travel to Highline College on Wednesday, February 16. SPSCC won the first meeting, 57-50, at home on January 19.