After a horrendous showing in the first round of the Fullerton Tournament, the Cerritos College women’s basketball team rebounded to record two straight wins and capture the consolation championship on Saturday. After their 87-54 loss to Palomar College, the team picked up wins over Santa Monica College (69-65) and San Mateo College (71-47) to improve their season record to 12-7. The team will now host Los Angeles City College in a 5:30 p.m. South Coast Conference cross over game on Friday.

    In the win over Santa Monica, the Falcons held on for the win, as they didn’t score a basket in the final 3:20 of the game, with the team’s final points coming on two free throws from sophomore Tiffany Wilson (Mayfair HS). Cerritos received double-digit scoring from four players, including Wilson, who finished with 13 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals, while the duo of sophomore Maltresa Neely (Downey HS) and freshman Arielle McClellan (Paramount HS) each led the team with 14 points. McClellan, who led the team with seven rebounds, started all three games of the tournament and was selected to the All-Tournament team. Neely also added five rebounds and five steals, while freshman Dominique Washington (Long Beach Jordan HS) came off the bench to add 13 points and five boards.

    The lopsided victory over San Mateo gave the coaching staff a chance to rest their starters and give the bench more minutes. It resulted in the Falcons scoring 34 bench points, as they combined to connect on 11-of-21 shots and added 19 rebounds. The duo of freshmen Rachel Butler (Calvary Chapel HS) and Mele Motuliki (Long Beach Jordan HS) each scored eight points, while Butler pulled down seven rebounds. Neely led the Falcon with 13 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots, while freshman Mercedes Taylor (Gahr HS) finished with 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

    Facing Palomar for the first time since their playoff win against the Comets last season, the Falcons were victimized by 20 turnovers and shot just 29.7% from the field in the loss. McClellan led the team with 14 points, while Neely (12 points, eight rebounds) and Taylor (12 points) were the only other players in double figures. Down 42-28 at halftime, the team didn’t fine any answers in the second half, as the Comets were led by Sabrina Gonzalez, who had 28 points, while Nikki Boone added 20 points and 10 rebounds.