Senior point guard Taliyah Johnson takes short jumper from inside the key against El Camino. Photo by Rick Sloan

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - The Cordova Lady Lancers earned a gritty 48-42 basketball victory at home on Friday, Dec. 5 against visiting El Camino. 

The Lady Lancers (2-4 overall at press time) tallied their season-high in points scored in the win, thanks to a solid offensive effort all around. Cordova junior guard Tiah Kennedy led all scorers with 14 points, including seven in the third quarter, to pace the Lady Lancers who led by only one point entering the fourth quarter.

In the final minutes, it would be Lady Lancers' junior forward Becca Lee who put the team on her back, scoring six of her 12 points down the stretch to propel her team to victory. Defensively, the Lady Lancers forced enough stops late to seal the win. 

Head coach Kim Bradley talks to her players during a time out late in the fourth period against El Camino.  Photo by Rick Sloan

"We have been having the philosophy of winning the quarter," Cordova head coach Kim Bradley said. "The fourth quarter is the most important one to win, so we leaned into our mindset of digging deep, playing defense and getting the ball in the basket."

For the Eagles (2-2 overall at press time), junior guard Taylor Stake led her team with 11 points. Fellow junior Caslista Wold notched 10 points of her own in the effort.

Additionally, senior point guard Taliyah Johnson recorded eight points for the Lady Lancers in the win. The victory came on the heels of a narrow seven-point loss at Franklin the day prior, so the Lady Lancers were determined to right the ship. 

Junior guard Tiah Kennedy shoots a layup around the El Camino defender. Photo by Rick Sloan

"They were hungry for the win," Bradley said. "We played well against Franklin but came up short, so going into Friday (against El Camino), they knew it was only a matter of time that their defensive effort would produce more offense."

The Lady Lancers will be back at home on Tuesday, Dec. 16 when they host visiting East Nicolaus, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. 

Senior point guard Jasmine Ferrell shoots a 3-pointer against El Camino. Photo by Rick Sloan