The taming of the Cougars
a sports commentary
Ariel Carmona
Issue date: 3/6/06 Section: Sports
Cougar Cougar burning bright
In the forests of the night
What immortal hand or eye
Dare tame thy fearful symmetry?
How about a Mountie? How about 15?
How about turnovers?
How about some solid defense?
These all led to the taming of the Cougars
The College of the Canyons Cougars that is. The Mounties beat them 78-66
Prior to Saturday's second round playoff contest against College of the Canyons, Mt. SAC Women's basketball Head Coach Laura Beeman had warned her charges not to underestimate Canyons. Point guard Leslie Ortiz and her 10.5 point per game average figured to be one key aspect of the Cougar's fast break attack. She was, but it wasn't enough.
The game was billed as a clash between the Cougars' high powered transition offense which helped them win 20 games, versus Mt. SAC's defense and MVP Lauren Ervin. But like 32 games the Lady Mounties won this season, the game came down to business as usual for Mt.SAC.
It came down to Krystal Williams making her presence felt inside the paint and shooting foul shots and making steals.
It came down to Lauren Ervin feeding her teammates for easy buckets, or penetrating and putting back her own misses.
It came down to ball control and pretty passes and Samantha Cardeno sinking some clutch shots.
It came down to a dominating Center having another dominant game. Ervin was like a player possessed, she was all over the court the entire game and she saved the best for the second half. She opened the second half with two spectacular blocks within minutes of each other, and torched her opponents for 30 points.
College of the Canyons could not escape the turnovers, which stymied their own drives with traveling calls and double dribbles, despite the Mounties committing 17 turnovers of their own. They also did not seem to have an answer for Mt. SAC's inside game with Ervin scoring inside and on three point plays. Few teams this season have.
In the forests of the night
What immortal hand or eye
Dare tame thy fearful symmetry?
How about a Mountie? How about 15?
How about turnovers?
How about some solid defense?
These all led to the taming of the Cougars
The College of the Canyons Cougars that is. The Mounties beat them 78-66
Prior to Saturday's second round playoff contest against College of the Canyons, Mt. SAC Women's basketball Head Coach Laura Beeman had warned her charges not to underestimate Canyons. Point guard Leslie Ortiz and her 10.5 point per game average figured to be one key aspect of the Cougar's fast break attack. She was, but it wasn't enough.
The game was billed as a clash between the Cougars' high powered transition offense which helped them win 20 games, versus Mt. SAC's defense and MVP Lauren Ervin. But like 32 games the Lady Mounties won this season, the game came down to business as usual for Mt.SAC.
It came down to Krystal Williams making her presence felt inside the paint and shooting foul shots and making steals.
It came down to Lauren Ervin feeding her teammates for easy buckets, or penetrating and putting back her own misses.
It came down to ball control and pretty passes and Samantha Cardeno sinking some clutch shots.
It came down to a dominating Center having another dominant game. Ervin was like a player possessed, she was all over the court the entire game and she saved the best for the second half. She opened the second half with two spectacular blocks within minutes of each other, and torched her opponents for 30 points.
College of the Canyons could not escape the turnovers, which stymied their own drives with traveling calls and double dribbles, despite the Mounties committing 17 turnovers of their own. They also did not seem to have an answer for Mt. SAC's inside game with Ervin scoring inside and on three point plays. Few teams this season have.