COD (0-11) welcomed into the friendly confines five teams, facing Copper Mountain, then Mission and then Fullerton on the final day to wrap up another successful Winter Classic.
On day one, the Roadrunners faced off with regional rival the Copper Mountain Fighting Cacti (4-3). Opening up the game with a hotly contested first quarter, where Desert had to come from behind and then tied the game at 14-14, before being only down one at the break 15-14. The Fighting Cacti would have a 7-0 run in the final couple of minutes in the first half, but the Roadrunners would keep it close on a 3-pointer from sophomore starting guard Alissa Munayco (Indio Shadow Hills) with 14 seconds left to keep Copper Mountain within eight, 33-25 at halftime. Desert would get to within two to open the fourth quarter, 51-49, and then take the lead, 57-56 on the second of a pair of free throws, by sophomore starting guard Vanessa Madera (Thermal Coachella Valley) with 7:00 left in the game. That's when the game went sideways, as the Fighting Cacti would go on a 20-4 run over the next five minutes and Desert would have to play the final 3:51 with only four players, as the Roadrunners fell 77-64.
Leading the way for the Roadrunners was Madera with 26 points on 7 of 22 shooting and going 10 of 13 from the free throw line. Sophomore center Destiny Frazier (Blythe Palo Verde Valley) leapt off of the bench contributing 12 points on 4 of 9 shooting and going a perfect 4 for 4 from the charity stripe and Munayco added ten points on 4 of 14 shooting. Sophomore forward Tanner Rodriguez (Newport Beach Newport Harbor) and Frazier tied for the team lead in total rebounds with eight a piece.
On day two, Desert ran into the Mission Saints of Santa Clara (5-5), where the Saints would open the game on a 13-2 run and never look back. Mission would close out the first quarter with a 28-7 lead and the Roadrunners would reach double digits on the scoreboard when Frazier nailed a layup with 3:12 left in the first half, making the score, 41-11. When the dust settled, the Saints won, 107-29.
Frazier led the team with ten points on 4 of 16 shooting and nine total boards and sophomore forward Julie Rodriguez (Indio Shadow Hills) made her way off of the bench to add nine total boards.
On the final day, the Roadrunners faced off with a familiar foe in the Fullerton Hornets (6-5). Previous to her role as the Desert Women's Basketball head coach, Dr. Timi Brown was the head assistant Women's Basketball coach at Fullerton College for two seasons. The Hornets would jump out to a 7-0 run to start and Desert would try to keep the game close as the quarter came to a close, Fullerton held a 21-10 advantage. The Roadrunners would open the second quarter on a 9-2 run to get to within four-points, 23-19 with 5:30 left in the first half, but at the halftime break, the Hornets would hold a 13-point lead, 37-24. As the second half began, Fullerton opened on a 13-2 run that put the game out of reach for the Roadrunners, as Desert fell, 71-41.
Madera was the leading scorer for the Roadrunners, adding 14 points on 4 of 11 shooting, going 2 of 7 from three-point range and leading the team in assists with five. Frazier would make her way off of the bench to score 12 points on 4 of 11 shooting and go 4 of 6 from the charity stripe, while grabbing seven boards.
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For additional information, please contact the COD Sports Information Office at 760.423.6641.
Information & Story provided by COD Sports Information. Photo by Michael Leone Photography (f8leone@yahoo.com).
