Comets smack Saddleback, Irvine Valley to reach title game

COSTA MESA (12-17-2018) / (UPDATED 12-18-2018) – Palomar, ranked No. 8 in the state by the California Community College Women's Basketball Coaches Association, will play state No. 12-ranked El Camino Wednesday at 7 p.m. for the Erin Tomlinson Coast Christmas Classic chamionship at Orange Coast College's Basil Peterson Gym.

Coach Leigh Marshall's Comets (11-3), the tournament's defending champions, advanced to the finals with back-to-back victories over Saddleback 97-71 on Monday afternoon and state 19th-ranked Irvine Valley 75-61 on Tuesday night.

El Camino (10-3), ranked No. 12 in the state, punched its ticket to the championship game with a 64-49 victory over Long Beach City College in the late semifinal game. 

Monday Round 1 Game: Palomar 97, Saddleback 71   

The Comets jumped out to a 15-0 lead in the game's first 3 minutes and 10 seconds and continued on to the 26-point victory in the first-round game.

Palomar opened the scoring on two straight lay-ups by Julie Saelee, a jumper by Taylor Williams, a layup by Williams, a 3-pointer by Saelee, a free throw by Saelee and a 3-pointer by Dee Dee Valenzuela.

The Comets, who are ranked sixth in Southern California, led 31-9 after one quarter and 58-17 at the half, cruising home from there.

Palomar got double-figure scoring from three players.

Williams (Mira Mesa High School) led with 28 points, and was 8-for-16 from the field, 1-for-1 from behind the 3-point arc and 11-for-13 from the free throw line with 6 rebounds and 6 assists.

Dee Dee Valenzuela  (San Marcos High), back from the injured list, contributed 19 points, going 8-for-15 from the floor, 4-for-5 on 3-pointers and 4-for-4 from the free throw stripe.

And Saelee (Monterey Trails High in Elk Grove) totaled 19 points, going 6-for-11 from the field and 3-for-6 on 3-pointers. She also had 4 rebounds and an assist.

Other top contributors for the Comets included Lauren Hecker (Mission Hills High) with 7 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and a blocked shot before fouling out; Lilly Crabtree  (Westview High) with 6 points and 14 rebounds; Clarissa Taite (Mira Mesa) with 6 points, 3 rebounds an assist and a steal; and Imari Cooley (Murrieta Mesa High) with 5 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Tuesday Semifinal Game: Palomar 75, Irvine Valley 61

Gentry, with 9 assists and 2 rebounds, and Crabtree, with 7 points, 11 rebounds (7 on the offensive board), 2 steals and 3 blocks before fouling out, both had big games for the Comets again put three players in double figures.

Taite led all scorers with 15 points, going 5-for-9 from the field, 3-for-5 on three-pointers and 2-for-2 on free throws. She also contributed an assist.

Williams finished with 14 points, 6 rebounds (5 on the offensive board), 5 assists, 2 steals and also blocked a shot.

Saelee scored 14 points, with 3 three-pointers, 2 rebounds and 3 steals.

Other key contributors for the Comets included Valenzuela with 7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal, Nalei'a Brackett (Carlsbad High) with 6 rebounds and Morgan Heise (San Marcos High) with 2 big three-pointers in the first half.

Palomar, trailing from the beginning of the game, finally took the lead for the first time with 7:46 remaining in the second quarter on a three-pointer by Saelee off Brackett's assist and led 30-27 at halftime.

The Comets fell behind briefly midway through the third quarter, but quickly regained the lead 41-39 with 4:34 remaining in the period on Heise's three-pointer off a Gentry assist and stayed on top the rest of the way, putting the Lasers away with a 26-point fourth quarter.