The San Diego City College women's basketball team hosted the Knights' Colbert Classic, an eight-team tournament, over the weekend in which the Knights earned third place after winning two of three games on their home court.
The Knights' first game of the tournament on Friday night was also their home opener and they did not disappoint. They used a 12-0 second half run to pull away from Victor Valley for a 68-48 victory. Sophomore point guard Darrien Castillo nearly recorded a triple-double, scoring 18 points to go along with 12 rebounds and eight assists. Nyaduop Lam, who had six double-doubles for the Knights in 2013-14, recorded her fourth of the season on Friday night with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Shamonique Malone-Boyd was a spark off the bench as she provided 16 points and 16 rebounds.
The Knights, who had won the tournament championship in the previous two years, matched up against Central Wyoming in the semifinals, but it did not go as well as it did against Victor Valley. Central Wyoming scored the first seven points of the game and never gave up the lead. The Knights got to within three points on a couple of occasions, but the Rustlers answered every SDCC run and eventually put the game away midway through the second half. Lam had 19 points, eight rebounds, and five blocks.
In the third place game on Sunday afternoon, the Knights played a familiar foe in MiraCosta. The Knights maintained the lead throughout most of the first half, but it was never more than five points. The Knights held a slight two-point lead early in the second half, but finally took control of the game with a 13-1 run to go ahead 45-31 with 7:39 remaining. MiraCosta would not get any closer than 12 points the rest of the way and the Knights went on to win 53-36 to claim third place.
Central Wyoming went on to win the tournament championship after defeating Glendale, 78-56, in the title game. Taft won the consolation championship by getting past Imperial Valley, 62-56.
Central Wyoming's Hannah Beede was awarded the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Making the all-tournament team were Darrien Castillo (SDCC), Kennedy Kunce (Taft), Erica Windham (MiraCosta), Samantha Pyros (Glendale), and Stephanie Smith (Central Wyoming).
The Knights will now travel up north to play in the City College of San Francisco tournament beginning Friday, December 19.
