(Walnut, CA) For the 13th time in the last 15 years, the Mt. SAC Women's Basketball team is heading to the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State Championships with a, 67-47, victory over visiting Long Beach City College in the Southern California Regional finals on Saturday night March 5.

The No. 1 South Seed Mounties (25-3), who won their 18th consecutive game, will aim for their ninth title in program history.

The Elite Eight state tournament begins on March 10 at West Hills College in Lemoore. Pairings will be announced on the CCCAA website, with games beginning this Thursday.

Also advancing from the South Region is No. 2 Seed Irvine, No. 3 Seed Moorpark, and No. 4 Seed Palomar.

The four teams from the South will face off against the four NorCal winners.

"It's great for the girls," Mt. SAC Women's Basketball coach Brian Crichlow said. "I've been to a bunch of Elite Eight's and every year you have a new team, you want them to experience the games, the walk-throughs, the travel and the banquets and such.

"They did a fantastic job in the second half."

Just two years ago, the team was in Bakersfield and had just finished a walk-through and was preparing for game one of the state tournament.

Unfortunately, the pandemic ended all of that.

Leading the way for the Mounties was freshman guard Kamesha Moore (6-16 FGM-A, 1-3 3PM-A, 1-2 FTM-A, 2 A, 4 Stls.) with 14 points, followed by an even dozen points by sophomore guards Savanna Norfleet (4-12 FGM-A, 2-6 3PM-A, 2-2 FTM-A, 3 RB, 5 A, 6 Stls.) and Mina Guevara-Goss (5-13 FGM-A, 5 RB, 5 A, 3 Stls.). Briana Lizardi (3-6 FGM-A, 3-4 3PM-A, 4 RB, 2 A, 2 Stls.) added nine points.

"This is amazing," said Moore, of the win and upcoming state championships. "I've never been here before and am happy for the team. We put in a lot of hard work to get here. I just love it."

Long Beach came out fired up and took an 11-5 lead in the first quarter, with 4:35 left. But, the Mounties blitzed the Vikings with a 14-1 run to end the quarter, taking a 19-12 lead.

Norfleet led the Mounties' charge in the quarter with seven points.

"It's a great feeling and now it's all paying off," Norfleet said. "We just got to follow (coach Crichlow's) lead, play as a team and keep it going."

After the teams each scored 13 points in the second quarter, the Mounties took control in the second half by outscoring the Vikings, 35-22, for the 20-point win.

Guevara-Goss, who was one of those players on the 2020 team that was at state waiting to play, reflected on what could have been in 2020.

"It's a good feeling to get back to where we were (in 2020 at state)," Guevera-Goss said. "It's very important to be in this position right now."

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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.