Atherton, CA - The Hope International University women's basketball team (23-7) knocked off No. 1 seed Westmont College 112-105 in the GSAC semifinals playoff game at the Haynes-Prim Pavilion on Friday evening.
The Warriors and the Royals battled at the beginning of the quarter with the Warriors hitting two quick threes to be up by 9-3. The Royals quickly changed the momentum in their favor as the whole team rallied together to be up 17-11 with three minutes left in the first. #1
Ana Resendiz added five more points to the Royals' lead. Ending the quarter the Royals were up nine points 22-13. To start the second quarter #10 Stefanie Berberabe scored a huge eight points to get the Warriors back within one (26-25). The teams shared baskets with each other, but it was #22
Ysabelle Halemano and #1 Resendiz who made sure the Royals led by six to end the quarter (36-30).
The Warriors came out strong after halftime with four quick buckets from #21 Sydney Brown (36-34). The Royals refused to back down scoring five quick points right back extending their lead (41-34). #1 Resendiz kept pouring on the points making a huge lay-up pushing the Royals up 10 with four minutes left in the third (52-42). #10 Berberabe answered with six points and got the Warriors back in the game (52-48). All-conference player #2
Shiane Talley scored five points at the end of the quarter to put the Royals up by seven points (57-50). To start the fourth quarter, it was unsurprising that the Warriors came back full force with the whole team sharing baskets. #0 Destiny Okonkwo on the Warriors made a momentum-changing lay-up with the Warriors taking the lead (59-60). Both teams battled back and forth the rest of the quarter leading the game into its first overtime (76-76).
The Royals started strong in overtime with #11
Jeanette Fine and #33
Shailissa Jarrett adding to their four-point lead with barely three minutes left (83-79). The Warrior team came back with force with #10 Berberabe making critical free throws to put them up one with 45 seconds left (85-86). #33 Jarrett then knocked down the most exciting three of the game with two seconds left and tied the game back up (88-88). The second overtime was a battle with both teams trading buckets. For the Royals #22 Halemano scored five points to keep her team afloat. For the Warriors, it was #10 Berberabe who also scored five points to get her team to the next overtime ending the second overtime tied up again (97-97). The Royals then dominated the third overtime with the whole team pitching in as they won 112-105 ending a 10 game losing streak against the Warriors and pulling off their biggest upset of the year.
The Royals will continue on to the championship game in the GSAC tournament playing as the No. 4 seed taking on the No. #3 seed and hosts Menlo Collegeon Saturday, February 25 at 6:00 PM in Atherton, CA.
