After their 71-61 overtime win over Chaffey College in the first round of the Orange Coast Classic Tournament over the weekend, the Cerritos College women’s basketball team was faced with an opponent that defeated them nine days earlier. The Falcons, who suffered a 76-61 loss to top-ranked Orange Coast College at home a week and a half ago, were defeated 72-60 by the Pirates in the semi-finals. Then, in the third place game, Cerritos (8-6) was beat by College of the Canyons, 71-68. The team will now travel to Santa Ana College on Wednesday for a 5:30 p.m. non-conference game.

    In the win over Chaffey, sophomore Maltresa Neely (Paramount HS) drained a three-pointer with 1:37 remaining to give the Falcons a 56-54 lead. But after the Panthers went up by one on a trey of their own, freshman Arielle McClellan (Paramount HS) drained one of two free throws with 24 seconds left to tie the game and send it to overtime. Chaffey had a chance to win in regulation, but missed three shots in the final three seconds.

    In the extra stanza, McClellan gave the Falcons a 62-58 lead when she hit a three-pointer and went on to score eight of the team’s 14 points. She finished the night with a season-high 17 points, while adding six rebounds off the bench, while freshman Mercedes Taylor (Gahr HS) hauled down a season-high 17 rebounds to go along with her 14 points. Sophomore Tiffany Wilson (Mayfair HS) finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists, with Neely checking in with eight points and seven rebounds.

    Against the host Pirates, Cerritos struggled in the first half and converted just 24% of their shots, while they found themselves down 28-19. It was a 16-point deficit (60-44) with 8:46 remaining, as the Falcons trailed by double-digits the entire second half.

    Neely led the team with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore Colleen Cooley (Paramount HS) also pulled down 10 caroms. McClellan matched her point total from the first game, scoring 17 points and adding five rebounds, while Wilson added nine points and four rebounds.

    The loss to Orange Coast put the Falcons in the third place game against College of the Canyons. After leading most of the first half and into the early minutes of the second half, Cerritos saw their largest advantage (43-40) slip away with 14:34 left in the game. The Cougars shot 50% from the field in the second half, and utilized 20 points from Andrea Bobic, along with 15 points from both Kelly O’Linn and Brittany Bradley to secure the victory.

    Wilson had a superb game, as she netted 9-of-12 shots and finished with a game-high 22 points, while All-Tournament selection Neely added 18 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots. Taylor hauled down a game-high 11 rebounds and added six points, while McClellan came off the bench to chip in with eight points.