NVC women's basketball falls to San Jose City College in 3C2A Regional Playoffs
Photos by Marty James
By MARTY JAMES
Napa Valley College's 2023-24 season came to an end on Wednesday night as the Storm lost its first-round game to host San Jose City College in the California Community College Athletic Association Regional Championships in women's basketball, 83-45.
Brooklyn Giles, the Storm's top player who was named All-Bay Valley Conference and to the All-State team by the California Community College Women's Basketball Coaches Association, was not able to play due to an ankle injury. Giles, a sophomore who averaged 18.5 points on 51.0 percent shooting from the field, 14.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.0 steals and 2.1 blocks per game during the regular season, sprained her left ankle in practice on Monday.
Giles is the Storm's leading scorer and rebounder.
"She turned her ankle pretty bad, so that hurt us. But no excuses. We didn't play that well. San Jose came a little more ready to play and really took it to us," said NVC head coach Paul DeBolt.
Giles has verbally committed to play for Cal State LA, a member of the NCAA-Division II California Collegiate Athletic Association. She will receive a full athletic scholarship.
"I really felt bad for her because she has to finish out watching, and that's frustrating," said DeBolt. "She was really important to us, in many ways. She also matured into a leader. She's a real leader this year for us, a team leader, and set the standard for us.
"It's nice to see the growth. She's got a really good future – a good basketball future, a good career future. She's headed in a real positive direction in her life."
Napa Valley (16-13 overall, 10-4 Bay Valley Conference), the No. 24 seed, was behind early in the game, trailing 24-8 at the end of the first quarter. The Storm was down 50-18 at halftime.
Four players scored in double figures for San Jose City (26-3 overall, 12-0 Coast-South Conference), the No. 9 seed in the Northern California Regionals.
The 3C2A Regional Playoffs has a 24-team field.
In winning its 13th game in a row, San Jose City, the Coast-South Conference champion, was led by Tatiana Collazo with 17 points, four steals and three assists; Danna Martinez with 16 points, four rebounds and five blocked shots; Sierra Miller with 16 points and six rebounds; Madison Diaz with 14 points and 13 rebounds; Zara Dumatol with 14 assists and four rebounds; Jada Nguyen with eight points, six rebounds and five assists; Isabella Ohanian with four rebounds; and Christine Lam with three rebounds.
"They have a nice team. They're 26-3 now, so that kind of says a lot. When you're 26-3, it means you're pretty good," said DeBolt.
San Jose City shot 47.2 percent from the field (34-of-72), 42.3 percent from 3-point distance (11-of-26), and 50.0 percent from the free-throw line (4-of-8).
San Jose City had 48 rebounds, 28 assists, 11 steals and five blocked shots.
Kamilah Tiongco scored 11 points, with two 3-pointers, to lead Napa Valley.
Aaliyah Gaitan scored 10 points, with two 3-pointers.
Alicia Johnson scored nine points on three 3-pointers.
Jordyn Allen scored seven points, Daralonie Sykes had six points, and Bella Merritt had two points.
NVC was 11-of-13 free-throw shooting.
The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for NVC, which despite being short-handed with just seven players on the roster, finished in third place in the Bay Valley.
For the season, Napa Valley averaged 56.5 points per game on 35.0 percent shooting from the field, 23.4 percent from 3-point range, and 62.2 percent from the free-throw line.
The Storm also averaged 40.5 rebounds per game and 13.4 assists per game.
"We got through the year. I'm real proud of the team," said DeBolt. "The players played hard all year, played together, made sacrifices. It turned into a pretty special year."
It was Napa Valley's second straight trip to the playoffs
"We got through this one, made it a successful year," said DeBolt. "I think we're going to be growing. We're going to be getting better each year.
"We've got some kids coming back next year – that's a good thing. We'll just continue to grow and get better.
"We've been recruiting. We're hoping to bring some kids in. I think what we really want to do is sort of just get on firm ground. And so, we're getting after it."
* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016, the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.