SALINA, Kan. — It was not in the Apache Ladies’ DNA this season to defeat CSI.

The College of Southern Idaho shot an amazing 65 percent in the second half to pull away from Tyler Junior College to register a 90-78 win in a second round game of the NJCAA Women’s National Basketball Tournament on Wednesday at the Bicentennial Center.

Last season, the Apache Ladies scored a 102-81 victory over CSI and the Golden Eagles had revenge on their mind from the outset.

No. 10 TJC ends its season at 29-5. The sophomores took part in back-to-back trips to nationals.

No. 7 CSI (22-11) advances to the quarterfinals to meet No. 2 Chipola of Florida (31-1) at 5 p.m. Thursday.

“I have never seen a team shoot that well,” said TJC coach Trenia Tillis-Jones, who has taken the Apache Ladies to five national tournaments. “They came out and shot the ball better than any team we saw this year. I have not seen a team shoot almost 60 percent from the field and 52 percent from the 3-point line. In those instances, there is nothing you can do.”

At one point in the second half, the Golden Eagles were shooting 80 percent. TJC rallied to get within eight, 69-61, with 8:30 left on nine-straight points, but that was as close as the Apache Ladies could get.

Two 3-pointers by MaKenzie VanSickle and a bucket from Rachelle Owens ballooned the deficit back to 16.

Victoria Kemokai led the Apache Ladies with 23 points. Last year, she scored 28 points against the Golden Eagles. Others in double figures for the Apache Ladies were Brittny Norris (18), Chelsi Watson (13) and Jasmine Prophet (12).

Elisabet Lopez Sagera led the Golden Eagles with 21 points. Holly Blades added 16, followed by VanSickle (15), Samantha Lubcke (12) and Danajha Kie (12).

The Golden Eagles shot 59 percent (36 of 61), while the Apache Ladies shot 41 percent (29-71). TJC was getting good looks, but many just would not fall.

CSI was 10 of 19 from 3-point land (53 percent), while TJC was 6 of 15 (40 percent).

“For it to be a 12-point ballgame with them shooting that well …  our kids kept fighting,” Tillis-Jones said. “It’s upsetting to lose, but we lost to a really good team on a really good night for them. They literally shot lights out.

“They had a big target on us (since Tyler won last year). I’m sure they have been studying us since the brackets came out.”

Jade Jones led TJC with six rebounds with Watson and Norris grabbing five each. Norris also had four steals, while Princess Cole had three.

Lopez Sagera and Kie each had seven boards.

Along with her 12 points, Kie had 12 assists.

TJC broke out to a 36-32 lead with 4:09 left in the first half. However, the Apache Ladies did not score again until Cole hit a basket with 19:02 to go in the second half. In between, CSI had gone on a 15-0 run to lead 47-36 before Cole’s bucket.

Despite the loss, Tillis-Jones was proud of her team.

“It was an amazing and fun year,” she said. “They are amazing kids. They are what TJC wants our athletes to be — classy, do the right things.

“(The sophomores) will all get looks from big time schools at the next level. I told them their best basketball is ahead of them. We want them to be 200 percent better than they were at TJC. If they do that, we know the foundation we gave them at TJC set them up for that.”

The sophomores include Kemokai, Prophet, Watson, Norris, Jones, Amber Driver and Sandy Jackson.

This was the 11th trip to nationals for the TJC women’s program. This is the 18th and final year for the foreseeable future in Salina. The 2016-18 tournaments are scheduled for Lubbock.

 

NJCAA Women’s National Tournament

Bicentennial Center, Salina, Kansas

No. 7 Southern Idaho 90, No. 11 Tyler JC 78

TYLER – Jasmine Prophet, 12; Chelsi Watson, 13; Victoria Kemokai, 23; Brittny Norris, 18; Jade Jones, 0; Princess Cole, 6; Sandy Jackson, 0; Amber Driver, 6.

SOUTHERN IDAHO – Elisabet Lopez Sagera, 21; Samantha Lubcke, 12; Danajha Kie, 12; Rachelle Owens, 8; Holly Blades, 16; McKenzie VanSickle, 15; Alexi Mefi, 4; McClain Williams, 2; Mariah Bankhead, 0.

HALFTIME SCORE – CSI 43-36.

THREE-POINT GOALS – TJC (6-15): Kemokai (2), Norris (4). CSI (10-19): Kie (2), Blades (4), VanSickle (4).

RECORDS – TJC 29-5, CSI 22-11.