Falcons get sweep of Napa Valley

ROCKVILLE — Lucy Santos didn’t see a whole lot of action for the Solano Community College women’s basketball team Tuesday night against visiting Napa Valley College, but the minutes she got counted.

Santos came off the bench to score the tying basket with 1.2 seconds remaining in regulation to force a 58-58 tie and send the game into overtime. Then Santos got hot, pouring in 10 points in two OT sessions to help the Falcons to a hard-earned 80-70 Bay Valley Conference victory.

After leading by five at the break, the Falcons saw a much stiffer challenge from the Storm, who shot 5 for 7 from the arc in the final 20 minutes of regulation.

Napa turned the ball over far fewer times in the second half (eight) than in the first half (16), making for fewer opportunities for Solano.

Still, the Falcons persevered and made their shots count, including surviving a 7-4 Napa run over the final five minutes of regulation, which ended with Clay finding Santos under the hoop to bank in the tying shot.

“Lucy off the bench and in overtime, and right at the end too, was phenomenal,” said Solano coach Matt Borchert. “I was really concerned about the matchup defensively . . . but I wanted to get her offense in the game.”

Not only did Santos come into the game and guard people, she took on Sara Irvine, Napa’s top shooter, who finished with 23 points and five 3-pointers.

“Lucy ends up guarding No. 32 and she ends up blocking her shot one time,” Borchert said. “It was just fantastic, I’m just so proud of Lucy and it’s just really great for her.”

Santos wasn’t the only standout for Solano.

Ariel Clay came up huge after halftime putting up 16 of her 19 points after the break. She also dominated the glass, pulling down a team-high 12 rebounds.

Taylor Hamilton carried the Falcons early, putting up 23 points on the night – 15 in the first half.

Solano started fast in OT, but was silent after getting three baskets to take a 64-61 lead and Napa tied it with another 3-pointer with 2:24 to play.

It was a whole different story as the Falcons dominated the second overtime, 16-6 with Santos getting eight of her 12 points in the final five minutes of the game.

“That was a great basketball game,” Borchert said. “We just persevered and I thought we showed a lot of heart and a lot of guts and I’m really proud of my team for that.”

SCC men edge Napa for 76-74 win

ROCKVILLE — With an intensity that has been missing at home so far this season, the Solano Community College men’s basketball team surged to an 11-point lead in the second half before hanging on for a 76-74 Bay Valley Conference victory over rival Napa Valley College.

“It was real exciting, I think they finally started showing the team that I thought we had been on the road,” said Falcons coach John Nagle. “It’s good to be in conference and to start playing a little bit better so I’m real happy with the response and the effort from the team.”

From the start it was apparent this was a different Solano team than the one that had lost its first two home games by a combined 42 points.

Rather, the Falcons (6-8, 1-1 BVC) raced to an 18-6 lead before the Storm started to come alive, ultimately going on a 12-7 run to take a 42-39 lead into the break.

Again it was the Falcons racing to a big lead, going up 65-54 on a Jamarae Moss putback with 8:02 to play.

Napa rallied to get within a basket a couple times, but some well-timed free-throws by Moss, Mike Stockton and Jacob Keys kept the game just out of reach.

Lequan Gomes poured in 22 points for Solano, Corey Doran added 12 and Mike McKinney put up nine.

Vanden High graduate Nate Gibbins, along with Corey Burrell and Tommy Frye Jr. led the Storm with 12 points each, while Rodriguez product Rodney Fisher added 11.