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After halftime at Saturday’s game against visiting Shasta College – the second in PCC’s Grand Canyon Crossover Tournament – Freshman Guard Lamia “MJ” Daley skipped back out onto the court seemingly eager to get back into the game. At the end of the second quarter, the Lancers trailed the Knights by a single point. In the third and fourth quarters, they’d go on to score an additional 41 points beating Shasta 68-38.

In the first and second quarters, Shasta kept the Lancers on their toes. The team worked to keep up with Shasta, learn their rhythms, and work out a strategy. 

“Shasta did a really good job slowing us down,” said PCC Coach Joe Peron. “We finally got going halfway through the third quarter. We broke it open.” 

Saturday’s win marked the fifth in a streak for the Lancers. They are currently ranked #23 on the state level, with 9-2 overall. 

“I didn’t score as much as I usually do, but it’s all about teamplaying for me,” said Daley after the game. “We’ve had our ups and downs as a team, but we won 9 out of 11 games. That’s pretty good.” 

The Lancers seemed unstoppable in the third and fourth quarters, scoring 41 points to Shasta’s scant 10. Number 13, Antuane Garett, was named MVP of the team’s tournament having performed a double-double scoring 15 points and 10 assists. 

Number 24, Crystal Smith, also performed a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. The sophomore transfer is originally from Saint Louis. 

“We needed this win,” said Smith. “Sometimes people think you need to lose to humble yourselves but we humble ourselves every time we play a good time. So, we needed this win to fight through adversity. Being down, then coming back.” 

Peron, Smith, and Daley all attested to the difficulty of building a team from the ground up. All of the Lancers this season are new recruits, most from out of state. Daley is from Mississippi, and Garrett and Smith are from Saint Louis. Other team members hail from Nevada and Colorado. 

“Patience,” Said Peron when asked what it took to build the sort of connection it takes for a new team to really work. “Learning is repetition. We call it practice. But whether it’s academics or sports, it’s just repetition. You do it over and over until it becomes second nature to you.” 

That patience is beginning to pay off, as evidenced by the team’s strong performance in the last 5 games. Additionally, when Smith was knocked to the ground for the second time in as many minutes, with a few minutes left in the fourth quarter, Garett was there to help her to her feet. 

“It makes me happy. It makes me really happy to know that we’re finally coming together,” Said Smith, “We got really good pieces and we’re putting them together to make this big dream puzzle.” 

The Lancers will be playing 5 more games in December. The first will be another tournament played at Moorpark on the 14th and the 16th. Then they’ll go on to play the 28th, 29th, and 30th. 

“Basketball kids don’t get to have holidays,” Laughed Peron. 

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