Los Angeles, CA — The Nobel University Knights visited Rush Gym on Friday night to take on the Occidental women's basketball team in a non conference match up.
It was a closely contested game between the two teams, with the 1st quarter having multiple ties and lead changes. Paige Yasukochi and Dara Tokeshi led the way offensively in the 1st for the Tigers, combining for 16 of Oxy's 23 points in the quarter.
Michelle Lagunas-Monroy added 5 of her own points including completing an and-1 opportunity at the line. The Tigers solid offensive play led the team to a 23-19 lead after the 1st quarter of play.
The lead was up to 8 points for Oxy after Lagunas-Monroy had scored a layup in the paint with an assist from a nice pass from Tokeshi. The Knights responded by going on a quick 7-0 scoring run to cut the lead down to 1 point with 3 minutes before halftime.
Nobel took the lead on a made 3-pointer but Oxy would respond by grabbing the lead back thanks to layups from Yasukochi and Emily Ko that led to a 40-37 Tiger lead heading into halftime.
The Tigers came out strong out of the break, starting the 3rd quarter on a 7-0 scoring run that was capped off by a Tokeshi knocking down a fast break 3-pointer. The Knights would respond by starting to get hot from behind the arc, using 3-pointers to cut into the lead.
Nobel took the lead back by cashing in on two 3's with three minutes to go in the 3rd that put the score at 51-50. Dominique Cabading answered right back with a three from the corner to take the lead back for Oxy.
The Knights worked their way to the line at the end of the 3rd quarter and knocked down free throws to take a 55-53 lead into the 4th and final quarter of the game. The 4th quarter was more of the same as the game would remain tight until the very end.
Paige Yasukochi tied the game at 59 by knocking down two free throws and once Nobel responded with 2 points, Dara Tokeshi got open for a layup to tie the game at 61. Later on in the quarter Khailand Anderson-Strawder would get the basket plus the foul and make the free throw to even the game up at 68.
Yasukochi stepped up and made big shots for the Tigers in the 4th, the biggest being a made 3-pointer that hit nothing but net on the way down and gave the Tigers a 3-point lead with 3:47 remaining in the game.
After Nobel had taken a one point lead with a minute and a half to play, Yasukochi confidently stepped into another jumper and knocked it down to grab a one point lead for Oxy with 1:16 to play.
The Knights took a lead with 30 seconds left in the game on a layup in the paint and after a missed layup from Oxy, the Knights would only make one of two free throws before fouling Yasukochi and sending her to the line. Yasukochi calmly knocked down both free throws to cut the lead down to one.
Nobel missed another free throw after being fouled, and Oxy had the ball down 2 with 14 seconds to play. The ball would be in Yasukochi's hands with the game on the line, but this time the ball would bounce off the rim as the shot narrowly missed and sealed the Knights' win by a score of 82-80.
Yasukochi finished with 27 points on 8 of 14 shooting, adding 9 more points at the free throw line. Dara Tokeshi had 17 points including two 3-pointers while adding 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Michelle Lagunas-Monroy and Khailand Anderson-Strawder also scored in double figures in the game.
Oxy will look to bounce back against the Linfield University Wildcats on Monday, November 18th. Be sure to make it out to Rush Gym for the pregame ring ceremony that will honor the 2023-24 Oxy Women's basketball SCIAC Championship team!
