Palomar pushes past Cypress to retain elite status

SAN MARCOS, CA (3/7/2022) -- With three of the four bleachers open on Saturday night, No. 4 Palomar College pushed past No. 12 Cypress College, 82-63, to make it back to the CCCAA Elite 8 Round of playoffs for the fourth time in five years. 

The Dome was buzzing with electricity as the Comets put on a show for the largest crowd this season. Freshman guard Deajanae Harvey went to work and finished the night with 28 points and 14 rebounds, a season-high, in 37 minutes played. Harvey dished the ball out six times, mainly to sophomore forward/guard Sara Ahmadpour who finished the night with 20 points on five threes. Sophomore forward Arianna Pagan finished the night with 15 points, making three threes. The team shot 39.7% from the field and nabbed 50 rebounds. 

Palomar has rolled through the playoffs with ease and will face the No. 1 seed in the north, San Joaquin Delta College on Thursday in the opening round of the championship tournament. The two teams were supposed to meet in the Elite 8 round in the 2020 season but never played due the pandemic cancelling the tournament. This season, the two teams are powerhouses in their respective regions. Delta is currently sitting at 28-2 with a 12-2 conference record, while Palomar is 26-2 and finished with a perfect 14-0 conference record. Palomar and Delta have never played one another and this year's matchup is going to be a showdown. The winner moves on and the loser goes home. 

The two are scheduled to tip their game at 5 p.m. at West Hills College Lemoore on Thursday, March 10.