The Details
Final Score: Riverhawks 53, Westmoreland County Community College Wolfpack 64
Updated Records: AACC 7-15 overall, 1-9 conference. Wolfpack 22-5 overall, 10-0 conference
Location: Westmoreland County Community College – Youngwood, PA
Box Score: Found here
Media Gallery:
Game Notes
The Riverhawks dropped, 64-53, against the Wolfpack from Westmoreland County Community College in the semi finals of the 2017-18 NJCAA DIII Region XX Women's Basketball Tournament this weekend (2/24), hosted at Westmoreland County Community College. With this loss, the 2017-18 women's basketball team has concluded their season.
Entering the tournament as the no. 3 seed, the Riverhawks faced off against the no. 2 seed Wolfpack who they lost to 78-64 earlier in the season (11/11). With a 16-1 record at home, a 21-win season, and averaging just less than 80 points a game, its no surprise the Wolfpack would enter the semi final match-up as the favorite, but with a trip to the championship title game on the line, the Riverhawks put up quite the battle.
AACC came out firing in the first quarter, outscoring their higher ranked opponent, and successfully shutting down an offense accustomed to a first quarter average of +24 points, leading 14-13. Looking to swing the momentum, the Wolfpack would slow AACC's offense down holding them to just 11 points in the second, but the Riverhawks would once again hold the aggressive-scoring offense of WCCC to a season low of just 26 points at halftime. With the slight dip in the Riverhawk score, AACC would head into the locker room at halftime down 26-25.
Spectators would see a more familiar Westmoreland team in the 3rd quarter as buckets dropped often for the Wolfpack, putting up a customary 22 points, but the relentless Riverhawks recorded 18 of their own, staing within reach and trailing by just 5 (48-43) heading into the 4th quarter.
Continuing with their assertive drives, the Wolfpack scoring would prove to be too much for the Riverhawks who struggled to find the hoop in the 4th quarter – scoring just 10 points to WCCC's 18. With time expiring, the Wolfpack of Westmoreland County Community College would get the NJCAA DIII Region XX Tournament semi final win over the Riverhawks, 66-53, and advance to face Montgomery College in the championship game.
Jordan Graham (Severn, MD/Old Mill) would end the night with a double double for the Riverhawks, netting 16 points – 12 of which came from beyond the arc, while grabbing 10 rebounds. Daja Burnett (Arnold, MD/Severna Park) would also finish with 16 points on the day, grabbing 7 rebounds, with 5 blocks. Marcelaine Augustin (Lowell, MA/Riverdale Baptist) would round off the double-digit scoring for AACC with her 11 points, and Cailin Jones (Annapolis, MD/Bowie) would put up 6 points while grabbing an impressive 15 rebounds on the day. For her tournament performance overall, Daja was named to the All-Tournament team. WCCC would ultimately fall to Montgomery College on Sunday (2/25) who would earn the 2017-18 NJCAA DIII Region XX Championship Title.
With the loss, the 2017-18 Riverhawk women's basketball season has come to an end, and will be saying goodbye to some dedicated sophomore players – Jordan Graham (Severn, MD/Old Mill), Michaela Cousins (Odenton, MD/Arundel), and Cailin Jones (Annapolis, MD/Bowie).
Graham got her start at AACC with the 2014-15 team, where she started in 8 games of the 15 she played, averaging 8.5 points per game. Progressing to an avid starter for the Riverhawks for the 2017-18 season, Graham started in 20 of the 21 games she played while averaging 11.1 points per game. Graham was often utilized for her 3-point shot for the Riverhawk offense with one of her best performances in the semi final loss where she netted 4-7 from beyond the arc.
Jordan hit her career high with 19 points and 9 rebounds in the loss against Montgomery College on Feburary 3, 2018 while recording an impressive 7 double-doubles on the season.
Michaela "Lil Bit" Cousins got her start for the Riverhawks last season (2016-17) before returning back this year to finish up her AACC career. Cousins hit her season high of 8 points in the loss against Allegany College of Maryland on January 24, 2018. Generally the shortest athlete on the court (5'1"), Cousins was a keen position player for the Riverhawks – often getting her hand in steals and quick to position in grabbing rebounds.
Cailin "CJ" Jones was a dual-sport student athlete for Riverhawk athletics, serving her role for the women's volleyball and women's basketball programs for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. CJ started in 2 games of her freshman season before improving her role as starting center – earning her way into the starting line-up 14 times this season. CJ recorded a season high of 8 points in the loss against Allegany College of Maryland while grabbing an astounding 18 rebounds. Jones also recorded the highly impressive 15 rebounds in the most recent loss to Westmoreland County Community College in the Region XX semi final game.
The Riverhawk athletic program is proud to have served as home for Cousins, Graham, and Jones and wish them the best of luck in their academic and athletic careers.
Up Next
The Riverhawk women's basketball team has concluded their 2017-18 season.
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