Yuba women charitable at home

The Yuba College women's basketball team slowly faded in the second half Thursday, falling to visiting Las Positas, 66-58.

It was the second time in less than two weeks that the two teams faced one another. The 49ers (7-10) fell to Las Positas (12-6), 77-56, in the championship game of the College of the Redwoods Tournament on Dec. 17.

While the rematch was closer, Yuba actually had a chance to win it. The 49ers led by four, 31-27, at halftime, and that margin could have been wider.

"We had 16 turnovers in the first half," Yuba coach Glenn Mayol said. "If we hadn't turned the ball over that much, we might have had a bigger lead."

In the second half, the 49ers actually made more shots from the field than the Hawks did, 11 to 9. But, free throws were the difference in the game.

Las Positas attempted 36 free throws – 29 in the second half alone – to just five total for the 49ers. The Hawks canned 23 charity tosses.

"What can you do?" Mayol asked. "The bottom line is they were more aggressive than we were. We need to be more aggressive on the offensive end and maybe pick up a few fouls and go to the line."

The 49ers, and Suman Bains in particular, were strong in the first half. Bains, who finished with 23 points, scored 17 in the first half. In a span of two and one-half minutes, Bains scored 10 points to help boost the 49ers into a 27-21 lead with 4:30 left.

First Bains hit a 3-pointer off a pass from Kami Kapaku to break a 17-17 deadlock. After a 3-pointer by the Hawks' Janine Jackson, Bains swished a second trey off a pass from Maritsa Prado. She then followed with a 12-foot jumper off a pass from Kapaku and capped her personal surge with a rebound and putback for two points.

Bains might have picked up in the second half where she left off, but she quickly got into foul trouble. She was whistled for her third personal 90 seconds into the second half and then picked up her fourth less than nine minutes into the period. She eventually fouled out.

Las Positas, meanwhile, kept parading to the foul line. For more than four minutes midway into the second half, the only points the Hawks mustered – eight – came off free throws, as they went up by six, 51-45, with 11:12 left in the game.

After a rebound by Rupi Gill, the Hawks scored three straight baskets for a 57-47 lead with eight minutes remaining. Yuba managed to cut the gap to four with 2:30 to go, but the 49ers never got any closer.

"I'm still proud of their effort," Mayol said of his players. "I can't fault them for trying."

Besides her 23 points, Bains finished with eight rebounds, two steals and two assists. Danielle Snyder had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Donisha Tate had a double-double for Las Positas with 19 points and 19 rebounds. She sparked the Hawks to the win with 12 of those points and 13 boards coming in the second half.

Appeal-Democrat reporter Richard Myers can be reached at 749-4714. You may e-mail him at rmyers@appeal-democrat.com.