OCC claims Coast crown

occ women’s hoops gamerPirates rally in second half for the victory over Cerritos in championship game of Coast Christmas Classic on Sunday.COSTA MESA -- In years past, depth has been an issue with the Orange Coast College women’s basketball team.

But on Sunday evening, the Pirates proved that this season would be not only deep with players, but deep with success.

Playing without three starters, Orange Coast rallied for a 64-61 victory over Cerritos in the championship game of the Coast Christmas Classic at OCC.

Freshman guard Devin Hundley came off the bench to score a career-high 19 points, including five three-pointers, and the Pirates (14-1) got their usual inside presence from 6-foot-3 sophomore Madison Parks in the win.

Parks, who totaled 36 points and 38 rebounds through the three games in the tournament, was named the tournament Most Valuable Player, while Hundley and sophomore guard Valerie Katayama were named to the all-tournament team.

“This is so exciting for everyone,” said Parks, who contributed nine points and 11 boards against the Falcons (6-10).

“Everybody came out ready to play. We were short a couple of people, but everyone stepped it up.”

The Pirates, winners of 13 straight games, were without starters Laurie Denning (knee), a freshman guard, sophomore forward Jillian Ricks (dislodged teeth) and sophomore guard Crystal McCormick (religious reasons) -- the team’ leading scorer.

But in came Parks, Katayama and Hundley, helping Orange Coast keep its winning streak alive. The Pirates haven’t lost since a 70-62 defeat by Compton on Nov. 11 in the team’s second game of the season.

Hundley made three clutch three-pointers late in the game to help turn a nine-point deficit into a three-point lead.

“We played really well as a team,” said Hundley, who keyed Coast’s 19-7 run with less than 10 minutes remaining.

“I have to give credit to my team. We all played really well and it was a great team effort.”

The Pirates, who trailed from 10:19 remaining in the first half, to 4:34 remaining in the second, took a 64-59 lead at the 3:05 marker on a Hundley three. OCC’s defense held the Falcons to just six points in the last 10:29.

“Playing without three starters, we knew someone was going to have to step up,” OCC Coach Mike Thornton said. “That person happened to be Devin Hundley. It was a great win. For us to be 14-1 now is incredible. We have only had our starting team together for maybe two, three games all season long.”

Hundley was 7 of 11 from the field on Sunday, and 5 of 9 from beyond the arc. Her 19 points was a game-high, topping Cerritos’ Maltresa Neely (17).

With 5.1 seconds remaining and OCC with its 64-61 lead, the Falcons had one last chance, inbounding on their offensive side just after a time out. But after a couple of passes, Cerritos fired up a three-pointer from about three feet behind the arc at the top of the key that missed rim and bounced out of bounds as the buzzer sounded.

OCC held on for the come-from-behind victory.

Parks, who dominated in the rebound department throughout the tournament with 18 boards against Chaffey, nine against El Camino and 11 against Cerritos, added two assists and two blocks in her 28 minutes of play Sunday.

“I think being a big inside player, being able to get all those boards, being able to post up strong is a really important factor,” Parks said. “Missing one of our other really important posts (6-foot-1 Ricks), I just felt like I had to step it up and do it for my team. I’m just happy we came out with a W in the end.”

Katayama contributed 12 points, five rebounds and three assists, while freshman forward Kristen Cabral added nine points and six boards.

Sophomore forward Nancy Castro contributed seven points and three boards, and sophomore guard Teeya Fernandez chipped in six points and four assists.

“You know what, nothing with these girls really surprises me,” Thornton said. “We seem to find a way no matter what the situation is. Our games with Cerritos down through the years have been just like that, almost every one that we’ve played.

“I’m running out of things to say because they just keep answering the bell every single time.”

Coast Christmas Classic

Championship game

Orange Coast 64,

Cerritos 61

Score by Halves