Mark Perez-Krywany

Staff Writer

Lorain County Community College women’s basketball team lost to Lakeland Community College during over time synching the at 68-65.

“When you coach for coach for 27 years, you are going to get games like this,” said Vince Granito, the LCCC head coach. LCCC is now 2-24 and Lakeland is 5-16 on the season

“There were several people who had tears in their eyes in the locker room afterwards,” said Granito. “That shows you how much they really care and how they really invested in this game.”

In the fourth quarter, the Lakers’ Alicia Sephus made a layup with four seconds left after a turnover was committed by Commodores’ Rachel Downing.

Throughout the course of the game, the Commodores were able to get steals, but struggled to finish on the offensive end. When asked Granito believed the game could have ended differently if the Commodores had not struggled at the end.

“Yeah, probably. One of the things is that when we say ‘let’s get out and run a little bit,’ which I think we could with this team, because they (Lakeland) looked tired,” said Granito. “There were a couple of times where I think we pushed it, (the pace) when I think we shouldn’t have,” said Granito.

He referred to Madi Bonner’s missed 3-point shot late in overtime with time left on the shot clock while the team is up by five. “We probably should have pulled that back and run the clock off a little bit,” said Granito.

Bonner finished the game with 20 points, four steals and three steals. Downing secured eight points, five rebounds, five steals, and four steals. Heather Smyth finished the game with a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds off the bench.

Their next home game is going to be the final home game of the regular season and will be against Hocking College on Feb. 25 at 1:00 p.m.