College basketball: Lady Wranglers have reason smile after home win

It has been nearly three months since Odessa College women’s basketball coach Ara Baten and his players have been able to smile as they walked off their home court.

The grins were ear-to-ear on Monday evening.

Andrews graduate Diandra Marquez scored 14 points and Jennifer Colli had 12 points to lead Odessa College to a 72-47 victory over Clarendon College in a Western Junior College Athletic Association game at the OC Sports Center.

OC (6-19 overall, 2-9 conference) won at home for the first time since Nov. 23 against Pima, Ariz.

Areyal LeDeatte scored 23 points, all from inside the paint, for Clarendon (13-14, 3-9). However, OC effectively shut off the rest of the attack for the Lady Bulldogs, who committed 31 turnovers.

“I thought that the team played very well together,” Baten said. “We didn’t try to force anything offensively, pushing the ball inside and then kicking it out if the defense collapsed and then making the shots. I was very proud of the effort, especially on defense, and I think that was the difference.”

Marquez got things started for OC when she hit a 3-pointer from the right wing for the game’s first points. After a basket by Clarendon, The Lady Wranglers went on a 12-2 run to push its lead to 15-4 with just over 12 minutes remaining in the first half.

OC led 24-16 at the break.

“It was a good first half for us,” Baten said. “We got the lead and then increased our pressure and forced some turnovers.”

The second half began with LeDeatte outscoring Odessa College 5-1 in the first 2 minutes, 30 seconds to pull Clarendon within 25-21.

However, Colli hit the first of her two 3-pointers to extend the lead to seven, and then Trivonne Senegal finished a spin move with a bank shot off the backboard to make it 30-23 with 15:12 left to play.

OC was never headed after that and used nearly every possession during the rest of the game to extend its lead.

Odessa College 72, Clarendon 47

CLARENDON COLLEGE (13-14 overall, 3-9 in WJCAC)

Nicole Vigil 1 0-0 3, Nicole Candelaria 0 0-0 0, Janee Wiliams 1 0-1 2, Jamie Young 2 2-2 6, Areyal LeDeatte 7 9-11 23, Amanda Beauchmp 1 2-2 4, Jessica Young 0 0-0 0, Taja Tanner 1 0-0 2, Ericka Guy 0 0-1 0, Tiffany Walker 0 0-0 0, Heather Blackburn 3 0-0 7. Totals 16 13-17 47.

ODESSA COLLEGE (6-19, 2-9)

Jennifer Colli 4 2-6 12, Whitney Goard 3 2-2- 8, Ashley Farrell 3 0-0 6, Diandra Marquez 4 2-2 14, Priscilla Mbiandja 2 3-4 7, Amanda Burnett 2 0-0 4, Whitney Davis 0 0-0 0, LaKeisha Harris 0 0-0 0, Kasia Suknarowska 0 0-0 0, Tamika Johnson 2 1-2 5, Carlos Wade 1 4-4- 7, Trivonne Senegal 4 1-2 9. Totals 25 15-22 72.

Halftime — Odessa College 24, Clarendon College 16. 3-Point goals — CC 2-10 (Vigil 1-5, Tanner 0-1, Blackburn 1-4; Odessa College 7-22 (Colli 2-7, Goard 0-1, Farrell 0-1, Marquez 4-8, Burnett 0-1, Harris 0-1, Suknarowska 0-2, Wade 1-1. Total fouls — CC 22, Odessa College 17. Fouled out — CC: Janee Williams. Technical fouls — Clarendon bench. Rebounds — CC 31 (LeDeatte 8); Odessa College 42 (Goard 7, Farrell 7). Assists — CC10 (Vigil 3); Odessa College 14 (Colli 4).

WJCAC Women

Team Overall Conf.

x-South Plains 22-3 11-1

x-Midland 24-4 10-2

x-Howard 22-5 8-3

Western Texas 14-14 6-6

Frank Phillips 19-8 4-8

Clarendon 13-14 3-9

New Mexico JC 4-21 2-8

Odessa 6-19 2-9

x-Clinched berth in NJCAA Region 5 Tournament

Thursday, Feb. 14

South Plains 75, Odessa College 49

Midland College 76, Clarendon 69 (2OT)

Westen Texas 51, Frank Phillips 38

Howard, open

New Mexico JC, open

Monday, Feb. 18

Odessa College 72, Clarendon 47

Midland College 95, Western Texas 56

Howard at New Mexico JC

Frank Phillips, open

South Plains, open

Thursday, Feb. 21

Odessa College at Midland College

Howard at Clarendon

New Mexico JC at Western Texas

Frank Phillips, open

South Plains, open

Monday, Feb. 25

Frank Phillips at Odessa College

South Plains at Howard

Clarendon at New Mexico JC

Midland College, open

Western Texas, open