3C2A State Women's Basketball Semifinals #2: Mt. SAC ends Sequoias' undefeated run

WALNUT -- College of the Sequoias had hopes of becoming the first undefeated state champion in 12 years, but the last college to perform the feat decided it wasn't going to happen, especially not on its home floor. Mt. San Antonio ended the Giants' 31-game winning streak, 57-50, in the 3C2A State Women's Basketball semifinals on Saturday evening. 

The Mounties (28-4) used the motivation of two last-second losses to the state's #1-ranked team in tournament play to get past Sequoias and advance to face Orange Coast on Sunday (3:30 p.m.) in the 2025 championship game.

Mt. SAC went to its bread and butter--defense--to limit the state's highest scoring Giants to their lowest point total of the season, the previous low being 63 points in COS' regional finals win over Fresno City. The Giants averaged 85.7 points per contest in 32 games.

The battle of the State Players of the Year went the way of Mt. SAC's Daisia Mitchell, a 2-time winner of the South Region's award, as her overall play resulted in 14 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and three steals. Her only block was a shot attempted by North Player of the Year Jocelyn Medina just before time ran out. Medina also was solid as she scored a team-high 18 points to go with eight rebounds and six steals. 

After Mt. SAC took a 53-43 lead, the Giants mounted a rally as Morgan Trigueiro drilled a three from beyond the top of the arc, followed by two free throws and a pair more at the line from Medina. That cut the margin to 53-50 with 2:25 remaining.

The Mounties though got the money shot as Mitchell sank a 16-footer with 1:25 remaining. 

For the Mounties, Taliyah McFerson led all scorers with 19 points plus eight rebounds while Naomi Acuna contributed seven points. Sequoias received 14 points by Trigueiro, eight and six boards by Anisa Torres, and seven points, seven rebounds and three assists from Kaitlin Giacone. 

"We felt we had to stick to our game plan because we knew how explosive Sequoias offense can be. We didn't want to let their shooters get free," said Mt. SAC head coach Brian Crichlow. "In the fourth quarter, we did a good job of clock possession, taking as much of the 30 seconds as we could each possession. Mitchell made a really big shot late for us. It was a great game."

Sequoias was one of nine teams in the history of the state tourney to have an undefeated record going into the Elite Eight, but becomes the first to not advance to the title game. 

"My hats of to Mt. SAC, they played great, just like they had in our other two matchups. They are well coached," said Sequoias head coach Tyler Newton. "We fought through a lot of adversity and injuries to get this far, and I am so proud of how far this group came. 

Newton added that trying to beat a team three times in a season, especially one as talented as the Mounties, is a tall order.

The third quarter saw the lead change hands five times (12 overall in the contest) capped by a Mitchell jumper as Mt. SAC went ahead, 36-35, four minutes into the period. The Mounties offense went to work with a jumper by  Acuna, then Elizabeth Udeze made a steal and a brilliant move to drive past a defender for a layup. Mitchell worked a pass inside to Diaz for another basket as Mt. SAC upped the lead to eight, 45-37.

Medina made an off-balance 18-foot bank, but the Mounties stayed ahead, 46-39, through three quarters. 

In the first quarter, Mt. SAC worked the ball inside to McFerson, who delivered as she made 5-for-7 from the floor for 11 points. Medina hit a three to give Sequoias the lead, but Mitchell answered on a 3-pointer of her own. That was followed by a layups by Alana Diaz and McFerson as the Mounties led 13-8. COS battled back with Medina hitting a bank from the top of the key to tie it. McFerson though hit an inside bucket with 21 seconds to go as Mt. SAC led 17-15 after 10 minutes.

In the second quarter, A 3-point launch by Acuna and a McFerson basket made it 22-17 before the Giants sliced it to 24-23 on a Trigueiro three. The teams defenses tightened up in the final five minutes. A turnaround jumper by Trigueiro gave COS a 1-point lead only to have Mitchell get loose for an inside shot regaining the Mt. SAC advantage. 

Medina though would make a late steal and when Trigueiro's layup attempt missed, she followed up in one motion on the offensive board to make a basket at the halftime buzzer for a 29-28 Sequoias lead.

Release by Robert Lewis, CCCWBCA Publicist