The Park University Gilbert women's basketball team continued to roll, winning its third game in a row and five of its last six with a 80-61 win over Cal Maritime this afternoon in Vallejo, Calif. The Bucs are now 10-7 overall and 8-2 in California Pacific Conference play.
Playing without point guard Jayla Reliford, who was out for the second consecutive game with a hand injury, the first quarter saw the Bucs struggle to score despite having some prime opportunities close to the basket missing four layups and a couple of jump shots in the paint. The Buccaneers never had more than a three-point lead in the quarter and had an opportunity to extend the lead at the end of the quarter when they forced a turnover and missed a layup before the Keelhaulers came down and made a desperation three as time expired to tie the game.
The second quarter stayed tight with CSUM holding the lead early in the stanza. With the game tied at 23, the Bucs went on a 14-2 run to end the quarter and went to the half up by 12 points. The Bucs went 0-7 from three-point range in the first half which for a team which has made a three-point basket in all 103 games in its history is noteworthy.
When you have the best three-point shooter in the conference and they go 0-4 in the first half on three-point baskets you have to figure it won't be long before they get back on track. For Kayla Schroeder, she got back on track in the third quarter, making two three-pointers as the Bucs slowly increased its advantage to 19 points over the Keelhaulers at the end of the frame 55-36.
Schroeder kept things going to start the fourth, making a three right off the bat. CSUM answered with a three-point basket of its own but it wasn't enough as the Bucs shooting continued to improve as they built the lead to 29 points. The Keelhaulers went on a run in garbage time to cut the final lead to 19 including another three-point basket as time expired.
The Bucs ended the game shooting 45 percent from the floor behind solid shooting in the second and fourth quarters. After not making a three-point basket in the first half, the Bucs came back to make five in the second half. The Bucs have made five or more three point baskets now in 15 of their 17 games this season.
Schroeder finished the game with 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Madison Chappell posted her first double-double of the season and the fifth one of her career with 16 points and 12 rebounds. She also added three steals. Five Buccaneers scored in double digits for the game as Jazmyne Jenkins (12), Bobbi Clark (12, tied career high) and Mariana Cubero (10) also contributed to the Bucs cause. Jenkins added seven rebounds and Clark also produced three steals.
The Bucs return to Arizona but stay on the road as they travel to Prescott, Ariz., to take on Embry Riddle on Thursday, January 25 at 5:30 p.m.
