SBVC women closing in on conference title

By Michelle Gardner
Staff Writer

The San Bernardino Valley College women’s basketball team is on a roll at just the right time. The Wolverines have won 11 straight games to close in on just their third Foothill Conference title and first since 2001,
The team polished off its two closest pursuers last week, beating Chaffey 71-47 Wednesday and Mt. San Jacinto 63-48 Saturday.

The Wolverines (22-5, 11-1) have a one-game lead over Mt. San Jacinto with four games left but their remaining schedule consists of Victor Valley (1-22, 0-11), Barstow (10-15, 5-7), Rio Hondo (15-11, 5-6) and College of the Desert (6-20, 3-9) while the other three contenders all have games against each other.

Coach Sue Crebbin is still leary of Rio Hondo and Barstow but recognizes her team’s situation.

“It is definitely ours to lose,” she said. “We’re peaking at the right time. We have had people step up and we’re playing just smothering defense.”

Crebbin is rounding our her third year heading the program. The Wolverines turned the corner last year, finishing as conference runner-up and posted a first-round playoff 61-59 upset of Orange Coast. The run ended with a 77-69 loss to another Orange County team, Fullerton.

That was more than the Crebbin expected  but this year the bar has been raised.

“We definitely came in here with higher expectations this year,” she said. “All of these girls had been through it before. Last year I still had to sell them on their potential. This year they have the confidence and the experience.”

The only losses from last year’s team where its two post players. This season the Wolverines are more guard-oriented. While they may not have quite the size in the middle, the have done a better job defending because of their speed.

The scoring balanced with just two players averaging double figures - sophomore Shyneese Walter (11.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, ) and Jasmine Marshall (10.3 ppg, 4.5 spg, 4 rpg, 3.9 apg). Three others are close - La’Quita Jordan (9.4 ppg, 2.2 spg), Ronisha Edwards (8.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and Simeone Baker (8.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg).

Marshall has been the catalyst while Baker has been the steady go-to player in the paint. Jordan could start for most teams but has embraced her role as the spark plug off the bench.