Pioneers break even in conference home stand

Left+to+right%3A+Pioneers+Alyssa+Palma%2C+Remy+Puou%2C+and+Bianca+Littleton+celebrate+a+made+basket+during+the+second+half+of+a+home+loss+to+the+Humboldt+State+Jacks%2C+69-67%2C+at+Pioneer+Gymnasium+in+Hayward+on+Saturday.

KRISTIANA FEDERE/THE PIONEER

Left to right: Pioneers Alyssa Palma, Remy Puou, and Bianca Littleton celebrate a made basket during the second half of a home loss to the Humboldt State Jacks, 69-67, at Pioneer Gymnasium in Hayward on Saturday.

Louis LaVenture,
Sports and Campus Editor

Cal State East Bay women’s basketball team split two home games over the weekend at Pioneer Gymnasium after they beat the Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes 74-66 in overtime on Friday, but lost to the Humboldt State Jacks on Saturday 69-67.

Momentum was on the Pioneers’ side after the overtime thriller on Friday night that improved CSUEB to 16-9 overall and 11-8 in California Collegiate Athletic Association Conference play.

CSUEB got off to a great start on Friday against the Coyotes (18-6 overall, 14-6 conference) and took a seven-point advantage into halftime with the score 32-25 in favor of the Pioneers.
Senior guard Stephanie Lopez led the way for the Pioneers in the first half of the game and finished the period with 15 points in just 16 minutes on the floor.

CSUEB junior forward Tori Breshers also contributed to the first half lead and added in nine points and seven rebounds in her 17 minutes of playing time.
Despite the hot start, the Coyotes managed to close the gap in the second half and had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation. The CSUEB defense forced a shot-clock violation with less than a second left on the clock and pushed the game into the first overtime session.

“Cal State East Bay is a dangerous team. Tonight we knew when we needed a basket and we knew how to get one. Our team works hard and we were able to grind this win out.”

— Humboldt State sophomore guard Danielle Gaumer

Lopez took control in overtime and scored six of CSUEB’s 12 points to close out CSUSB 74-66. Lopez finished with 29 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and three steals in 41 minutes on the court.

Breshers recorded a double-double for the Pioneers and finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds in 39 minutes of playing time. Lopez set a set a school record after she made all 13 of her free throws in the game.
“We had a trio of scorers tonight with Remy Puou, Tori Breshers and Stephanie [Lopez] leading the way with a terrific performance tonight,” CSUEB Head Coach Suzy Barcomb said. “The poise of Steph [Lopez] tonight created a calmness and allowed us to keep our composure when San Bernardino made that great run at us late in the game.”

With the momentum on their side from Friday’s victory, the Pioneers went into Saturday’s game against the No. 22 nationally ranked Humboldt State Jacks (22-3, 18-2) with confidence on senior night. Lopez, Alyssa Palma, Sharissa Estremera, and Micah Walker were all honored prior to tip-off before they played their final game at Pioneer Gymnasium on the Hayward campus.
It was a Hayward native and Moreau Catholic High School graduate, Humboldt guard Danielle Gaumer, who helped put away the Pioneers in the second half of the game.

Gaumer scored nine of her 14 points in the second half and hit the final shot for the Jacks that made the score 69-65 with 2:31 left in the game.
“Cal State East Bay is a dangerous team,” Gaumer said. “Tonight we knew when we needed a basket and we knew how to get one. Our team works hard and we were able to grind this win out.”
With six seconds left in the game CSUEB senior Walker recorded her fourth steal of the game and the Pioneers immediately called a timeout.
CSUEB senior Lopez got the ball on the inbounds play and missed a jump shot but was able to rebound her own shot and then missed a layup as time expired in the 69-67 loss for the Pioneers.

“It was the longest six seconds ever,” Humboldt State Head Coach Joddie Gleason said. “I think they got three shots off, and it is always dangerous to let Stephanie Lopez have the ball.”

Lopez finished with 24 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals in the loss for the Pioneers. Breshers recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds while the senior Walker added 11 rebounds and six points in her final game at CSUEB.
There are just two regular season games left before the CCAA postseason tournament begins on Mar. 5 in Stockton. The Pioneers will finish their regular season on the road first on Friday at Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena in Turlock when they take on Cal State Stanislaus who is 8-16 overall and 6-14 in conference play.

The Pioneers final game will be on Saturday at Artacker Gymnasium in Chico against the Chico State Wildcats who are 9-15 overall and 6-14 in conference.