Pirates to take on San Joaquin Delta in State Quarterfinals

COSTA MESA -- The 3C2A Women's Basketball State Tournament is here and once again, the Orange Coast College Pirates have earned their ticket to the big dance. The quest to repeat as state champs begins on Thursday as the Pirates take on San Joaquin Delta, beginning at 5 p.m. at Mt. San Antonio College.

For the Pirates (27-3), the No. 3-seed out of Southern California, this year has already been a year of redemption for coach Sammy Doucette and her squad. After having to replace all five starters from last year's 32-1 squad, not only did she do so, this year's club finished undefeated in the Orange Empire Conference and are coming into the tournament playing some of their best basktball of the season.

Averaging 82.1 points per game this year (only Fresno City College averaged more at 84.8 ppg), the Pirates have shown the opposition that serveral people will have to be locked down in order for success. Among the leaders include OEC Player of the Year, Bridgette McIntyre, who averages 19 points and five rebounds per game. This year she has set the single-season OCC school record for made 3-pointers (107) and will look to further pad her totals with a potentially long weekend of basketball coming up.

Freshman guard Ashari Cassell (14.5 points per game) and sophomores Jordan Arreola (11.7 ppg) and Sabrina Lopez (11.6 ppg, 6.4 rebounds per game) bring added depth to the offense and give Coast four double-digit caliber scorers.

Throw in freshmen Hailey Estrada (6.5 ppg), Myia Collins (6.5 ppg) and Alyssa Dreessen (5.4 ppg) -- all of whom have the ability to put solid numbers up on the scoreboard at any time -- and this year's Pirates might be an even flashier version of last year's champs.

Coast enters Thursday's game winners of 17 straight and are looking to become the first team to win back-to-back state titles since Mt. San Antonio won two straight in 2016 and 2017.

As for the Mustangs (26-4), champions of the Big 8 Conference, they come in winners of 16 of their last 17, including a 20-point win against San Mateo (61-41) in the Regional Semifinals and a 26-point win over College of the Sequoias (71-45) to earn a spot in the State Quarterfinals.

SJD is 12th in the state at team defense, holding the opposition to 54.3 points per game (just behind OCC's 53.7 ppg), and the Mustangs are 9th in the state in steals per game at 13.4 (just ahead of OCC's 12.9 spg). In the turnover category, Delta is fifth in the state, forcing 23 per game, while OCC is sixth at 22.1.

"Delta is athletic and quick, which is why they are forcing 23 turnovers per game," OCC head coach Sammy Doucette said. "We need to do what we've been trying to do going into every game, which is out-rebound them, take care of the ball and get the highest-percentage shot per possession ... nothing new."

The Mustangs' offense is led by sophomore guard Maya Chelina, who averages 13.3 points per game, while freshmen guards Serenity Santos (11.9 ppg) and Senia Moore (10.5 ppg) close behind.

The winner of Thursday's game will advance to the State Semifinals, where they will play the winner between No. 1 Moorpark (27-3) and No. 4 Laney College (24-4) on Saturday at Mt. SAC, beginning at 3 p.m. The state championship game will take place on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Mt. SAC.