Freshman guard Maleta Daughtery (Redondo HS) made four free throws in the final 22 seconds as the Cerritos College Falcons women’s basketball team held off a furious rally by the host Riverside City College Tigers in the final two minutes for a 70-64 non-conference victory Saturday night. The team will now open South Coast Conference cross-over play on Friday when they host Pasadena City College at 5:30 p.m.

 

    Cerritos (12-8) had an 8-0 run for a 64-53 lead with 2:17 left before Riverside (9-10) came within 66-64 on a rebound-layin by forward Jacqueline Thomas with 26 seconds for the last of her game-high 24 points. But Thomas fouled out four seconds later, sending Daughtery for the first pair of her free throws in the game’s waning moments. Daughtery (20 points, five rebounds) added another pair with eight seconds left.

 

    Thomas had 13 first-half points, including three-of-three on three-point field goals, to keep the Tigers in the game as Cerritos led, 33-30 at halftime. In addition to her game-high 24 points (on ten-of-14 field goal shooting), Thomas pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.

 

    In the final two minutes, Cerritos missed six consecutive free throws before Daughtery made four straight (11 of 13 for the game), with sophomore forward Mercedes Taylor (Gahr HS) adding 16 points and nine rebounds for the Falcons.

 

    Sophomore guard Rachel Butler (Calvary Chapel HS) finished with 14 points and six rebounds, with freshman guard Cherish Sanchez (Norwalk HS) contributing 10 points and four caroms.