College basketball: Lady Wranglers run out of time

Odessa College women’s basketball coach Ara Baten gave his sophomores the chance to close their home careers on a winning note by starting all five against Frank Phillips College on Monday night.

Unfortunately for Baten, he also couldn’t go out and play for them as well.

Looking sluggish and out-of-sync for much of the night, OC watched Frank Phillips open the second half with a game-changing run that allowed them to post a 61-54 win in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference game at the OC Sports Center.

Julia Pantsuikh scored 13 points for Frank Phillips (20-8 overall, 5-8 conference), while Jazmin Smith and Stasia Holden each had 12 points.

Sophomore Jennifer Colli had 12 points for Odessa College (6-21, 2-11), but she was the only player in double figures for the Lady Wranglers.

“It’s been a tough year on the kids,” Baten said. “This was a tough way to finish up the year at home. Part of it (Monday) was a scheme thing. We were trying to push the ball inside and then when Frank Phillips adjusted, we didn’t adjust with them and turned the ball over.”

The game was tied 26-26 at halftime, but Frank Phillips went on a 24-10 run to make it 50-36 with six minutes left. Some of the turnovers that Baten talked about aided the run as OC went five consecutive trips down the court without attempting a shot.

Still, Odessa College had a chance to pull back into the game when Colli hit back-to-back 3-pointers from opposite corners and Tamika Johnson made two free throws to make it 50-44 with 5:36 left in the game.

From that point, however, the teams traded baskets, with Pantsuikh giving Frank Phillips some breathing room with a 3-pointer from the top of the arc that made it 59-47 with 1:26 left in the game.

“That’s the way we have played all season,” Baten said. “We’ve only really been out of five or six games all year. In the other ones, we will be down by under 10 late in the game and can’t find a way to win. I feel for the girls because I know they are working hard and you want them to have a different result.”

Frank Phillips 61, Odessa College 54

FRANK PHILLIPS (20-8 overall, 5-8 in WJCAC)

Julia Pantsuikh 5 0-0 13, Kelsie Pineda 0 0-2 0, Katiya Jackson 2 2-4 6, Jazmin Smith 3 5-10 12, Stasia Holden 6 0-0 12, Rakena Williams 2 0-0 4, Shevron Garner 4 0-0 8, Callie Cannon 0 0-0 0, Shanika Brown 0 0-0 0, Danielle Hardiman 1 0-1 2, Maureen Wasuda 1 2-3 4. Totals 24 9-20 61.

ODESSA COLLEGE (6-21, 2-11)

Jennifer Colli 4 2-4 12, Whitney Goard 1 1-2 3, Trivonne Senegal 3 2-4 8, Whitney Davis 1 0-0 2, Kasia Suknarowska 0 0-0 0, Amanda Burnett 3 0-0 8, Diandra Marquez 1 1-2 3, Priscilla Mbiandja 2 3-6 7, Tamika Johnson 1 2-4 4, Ashley Farrell 2 3-5 7, Carlo Wade 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 14-27 54.

Halftime — Odessa College 26, Frank Phillilps 26. 3-Point goals — Frank Phillips 4-10 (Pantsuikh 3-6, Pineda 0-1, Jackson 0-2, Smith 1-1), OC 4-17 (Colli 2-6, Goard 0-1, Davis 0-1, Suknarowska 0-1, Brunett 2-3, Marquez 0-5). Total fouls — Frank Phillilps 19, OC 19. Fouled out — None. Technical fouls — OC coach. Rebounds — Frank Phillips 33 (Holden 7), OC 45 (Senegal 8, Farrell 8). Assists — Frank Phillips 13 (Smith 5), OC 13 (Mbiandja 5).