Defending national champs run past Azusa Pacific, 99-93
POMONA¾ First, Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team celebrated its
2000-01 national championship.
Then, the Broncos went out and won their season opener.
Lauri McIntosh (Sr., Diamond Bar, Diamond Bar HS) scored 28
points and Burgundie Porter (Sr., San Dimas, San Dimas HS) added 21 and the
Broncos beat Azusa Pacific, 99-93, Saturday night in Kellogg Gym. Cal Poly
Pomona (1-0) built leads as large as 23 points in the second half before the
Cougars (1-2) made a spirited run at the end to close the gap.
Jacqueline Godoy scored 35 points for Azusa Pacific to lead all
scorers.
Before the game, the Broncos’ fourth national championship
banner was unveiled and hoisted above the court, joining the three other ones
that were won in the 1980s. Members of the championship team were introduced,
including departed seniors LaTasha Burnett and Deanna Bergeson.
The Broncos, who are ranked No. 1 in the USA Today/ESPN
preseason coaches’ poll, started quickly and never trailed. They jumped out to
an 18-6 lead in the first five minutes of the game and maintained control of
the game the rest of the way. Azusa Pacific was able to cut the lead to two,
26-24, but Cal Poly Pomona bumped the lead back up to eight, 58-50, by
halftime.
Back-to-back baskets by McIntosh gave the Broncos a 68-55 lead
just three minutes into the second half and the Broncos never led by less than
nine points again until the final minute of the game when a flurry of turnovers
was converted into Azusa Pacific points.
McIntosh, a Kodak All-American in 1999-2000, got her senior
campaign off to a promising start. She was 11-of-20 from the field and also
grabbed 16 rebounds, which equaled her career high. Porter, too, had a standout
game as she hit nine of her 11 field-goal attempts and played her usual stout
defense.
The Broncos also got 18 points and seven rebounds from
returning All-American and Player of he Year candidate Aprile Powell (So.,
Santa Ana, Century HS), who had 12 points and six rebounds in the second half.
Anna James (Jr., Orangevale, Casa Robles HS) added 14 points, six assists and
five rebounds.
Cal Poly Pomona enjoyed a 41-31 edge on the boards.