Pirates advance to tourney title game with win over Saddleback

COSTA MESA -- The Orange Coast College women's basketball team has advanced to the championship game of the 2015 Erin Tomlinson Coast Christmas Classic with a 69-45 win over Saddleback College on Friday night inside the Peterson Gym.

Coast (7-5), which led by four at the half (27-23), blew the game open with an impressive 19-8 third-quarter run and the Gauchos (5-7) were not heard from the rest of the way.

Jenna Rodriguez earned a double-double for the night with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Sarah Nunes came off the bench and added 13 points and six rebounds. The starting five of Rodriguez, Sami Little (nine points, six rebounds), Megan Lewis (nine points), Chyann Pendergrass (seven points, nine assists) and Michelle Wu (seven points, four steals) outscored the Gauchos' starters 50-23.

The OCC defense held its second opponent in a row to under 50 points, while forcing 23 Saddleback turnovers, thanks in large part to 14 Pirate steals.

The Pirates will take on Palomar in the tourney title game on Saturday, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

In other Coast Christmas Classic action ... 

• Palomar 64, Irvine Valley 50 -- In an intense championship semifinal matchup, Palomar (9-2) suffocated the Lasers (8-4) on defense and outscored IVC 55-40 through the first three quarters before cruising to victory. Mikaela Shannon led the Comets with 15 points and six rebounds, while Chelse Ayala added 11 points and Quinesha Vanhook tossed in 10 points as the Palomar reserves outscored IVC's reserves, 39-21. Jordan Coleman and Jada Haynes each had nine points to lead the Lasers, who struggled to overcome a 3-of-14 shooting start to the game. Palomar looks to become the first team to repeat as tournament champion since OCC won three straight from 1998-2000.

• El Camino 58, Cuesta 44 -- In the second of two consolation semifinal matchups, the Warriors (8-4) took advantage of a frosty shooting performance by the Cougars (20 percent for the game) and rolled to the consolation title game on Saturday, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Meghan Peneueta led the Warriors with 16 points, while Tyler Quinn and Elise Allison each tossed in 10 points. For the Cougars (4-8), Angela Llaverias had 16 points, while Autumn Russell had 11 points and 16 rebounds.

• Canyons 61, Chaffey 50 -- The Cougars (8-3) jumped ahead early and never looked back as they advance to the consolation championship game against El Camino on Saturday. Monica Friedl had 17 points and 13 rebounds to lead the way, while Hannah Green added 14 points and eight rebounds. For the Panthers (7-8), Alexis Frondarina had 22 points, while Chelsea Waddy-Blow added 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Day 3 of the Coast Christmas Classic is as follows ... 

1:30 p.m. -- El Camino vs. Canyons (Consolation Semfinals)

3:30 p.m. -- Irvine Valley vs. Saddleback (Third-Place Game)

5:30 p.m. -- Palomar vs. Orange Coast (Tournament Championship)