CULVER CITY, Calif. – In a dominant performance on their home court, the West Los Angeles College women's basketball team overwhelmed Santa Monica College with an 85-43 victory on Wednesday night.
The Wildcats delivered a relentless attack from start to finish, led by Aliyah Young's standout double-double performance with 22 points and an incredible 22 rebounds.
The game opened with Santa Monica striking first as Maya Stokes knocked down a mid-range jumper just 12 seconds in. However, West LA responded swiftly when Alana Young drained a three-pointer at the 9:31 mark, setting the tone for what would become a one-sided affair.
The Wildcats' defense came out aggressive, forcing multiple early turnovers. Kennedee Rankin, despite only playing 19 minutes, made her presence felt immediately, securing offensive rebounds and finishing at the rim with precision. She ended the night with a dominant 22-point, 17-rebound performance, creating problems for Santa Monica's defense all game.
By the end of the first quarter, West LA had built a commanding 23-6 lead, with Young, Rankin, and Kyana Davis leading the offensive charge. Santa Monica struggled to find a rhythm, shooting just 23.3% from the field for the game.
The second quarter saw West LA extend their dominance, fueled by sharp perimeter shooting. Aliyah Young knocked down consecutive three-pointers at the 8:25 and 6:24 marks, widening the lead to 28-8. Santa Monica's Heidi Luna, who led her team with 14 points in 27 minutes, tried to counter with a three of her own, but the Corsairs couldn't match West LA's defensive intensity and rebounding dominance.
At halftime, the Wildcats held a 39-18 advantage, showcasing not only their offensive efficiency but also their rebounding dominance, grabbing 74 boards compared to Santa Monica's 39.
Coming out of the break, Davis and Alana Young orchestrated the offense beautifully, combining for 13 assists between them. Davis, who tallied 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, controlled the tempo, pushing the ball in transition and setting up open shots for teammates.
Midway through the third quarter, Rankin continued to impose her will in the paint, converting back-to-back layups to push the lead to 50-27 with 6:00 remaining. Santa Monica's Stokes fought hard on the boards, finishing with 7 rebounds, but second-chance points were hard to come by for the Corsairs as West LA controlled the glass with a staggering 31 offensive rebounds.
With the game well in hand heading into the fourth, West LA did not ease up, continuing to press and execute their offensive sets. Fama Diagne provided energy off the bench with 11 rebounds, while Karli Schwenke added 6 points and 6 rebounds.
In the final minute, Davis found Young for a smooth transition layup, capping off a near-perfect performance for the Wildcats. West LA finished the night shooting 39.4% from the field, compared to Santa Monica's 23.3%, in what was one of their most complete games of the season.
West LA will look to keep the momentum going as they prepare for their next matchup at home this Saturday versus first place Glendale.
Santa Monica will try to regroup after another tough loss at home against Antelope Valley College.
Game Leaders
West LA:
- Aliyah Young – 22 points, 22 rebounds, 4 assists
- Kennedee Rankin – 22 points, 17 rebounds
- Kyana Davis – 14 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists