SMCC Women's Basketball Finishes 2-1 on Opening Weekend

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College women's basketball team (2-1) posted a pair of victories at the Phoenix College Juco/JV Invitational from Nov. 1-3 at Phoenix College. On Nov. 1, the Cougars defeated the Arizona Christian University JV team 69-39 as Destiny Dixon led SMCC with 25 points. The next day, SMCC posted a 70-52 victory over the Park University-Gilbert JV Team 70-52 as Rahimeh Salaam and Valery Velazquez led the Cougars with 16 points. Finally, SMCC fell 67-62 to the Grand Canyon University Club Team on Nov. 3 despite 18 points from Salaam. 

ACU JV Recap

SMCC led 46-21 at halftime en route to the 69-39 victory over the Firestorm in the season opener on Nov. 1. The Cougars shot 42.2 percent (27-of-64) from the field, made eight 3-pointers, grabbed 43 rebounds, dished out 16 assists, and blocked four shots. 

Dixon was 10 of 22 from the field and made two 3-pointers in 40 minutes. She added 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. 

Sophomore Auak Jok was second on the team with 17 points, knocking down five 3-pointers in 40 minutes. She added five rebounds, a block, and a team-best four assists in the victory. 

Salaam posted 12 points and a team-high 18 rebounds in 40 minutes. Fifteen of her boards came on the defensive glass, and she added three blocks, an assist, and a steal. 

Velazquez was the fourth Cougar to finish in double-figures, posting 11 points in 40 minutes. She added two rebounds, two steals, and an assist. 

Sophomore Leslie Aguirre led SMCC with 10 assists and three steals, adding seven rebounds and four points in 40 minutes. 

Park University-Gilbert JV Recap

The Cougars won their second game with a 70-52 victory over the Buccaneers. SMCC shot 36.4 percent (28-of-77) from the field and totaled 44 rebounds, 10 assists, six steals, and two blocks in the win. 

Salaam and Velazquez led the charge offensively with 16 points apiece. Salaam was 8 of 16 from the floor and posted her second-straight double-double with 12 rebounds. Five of those dozen boards came on the offensive glass, and she added two assists, two blocks, and a steal in 33 minutes. 

Velazquez was 6 of 16 from the field with four rebounds and two assists to go with her 16 points. 

Dixon scored 15 points and added six rebounds, two steals, and a block in 33 minutes. She also had five offensive rebounds. 

Aguirre scored 12 points in the win and produced seven rebounds, two steals, and an assist in 36 minutes. Jok led SMCC with 10 rebounds and three assists to go with six points and a steal in 33 minutes. 

DeeDee Medlock made her season debut and posted five points, five rebounds, and an assist in 28 minutes. 

GCU Club Team Recap

The Cougars suffered their first loss of the season, falling 67-62 to the GCU Club Team on Sunday, Nov. 3. SMCC led 36-21 at halftime, but the Antelopes scored 27 points in the third quarter and out-scored the Cougars 19-9 in the fourth. 

Salaam led SMCC with 16 points, and Medlock added 15 points, including two 3-pointers. Aguirre scored 10 points, Dixon had nine, Velazquez had six, and Jok scored a pair in defeat.