Panthers Seek Road Win Against Santa Ana College

Riding high after a convincing victory against Riverside City College last Wednesday, the Chaffey College Panthers (3-2) are set to face the Santa Ana College Dons (4-1) on the road today at 6:00 p.m. The Dons are coming off their first loss of the season, a 52-36 setback against Cuesta College on Saturday.

Head Coach Kendyl Rizea is counting on another strong performance from the trio of Fatimah Sani, Danielle Singley, and Jada Cuellar. Agaist Riverside City, all three players set new career highs. Sani with 30 points, 26 rebounds (9 offensive), and 4 blocks. Singley added 26 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block. Cuellar with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 5 steals.

"We want to play at that level every game," Sani stated. "We're still finding our rhythm, but consistency on both ends of the floor and maintaining our aggressiveness will be key." Sani lightheartedly credits her career-high performance to her pre-game meal of pasta, prepared by her mom. "I guess that's my new lucky ritual. I'll be having pasta before every game now!" she joked.

Singley talked about the importance of building on their recent success. "When you're in that flow, you just know the shots are going in," she said. "I'm excited about this season's potential. If we can consistently play at that level, we have a real shot at making a deep playoff run."

Cuellar detailed the importance of her aggressiveness. "My early shots going in set the tone for the night," she explained. "Playing with that level of aggression and confidence is crucial for me. If we can remain consistent, we can compete with anyone."

Defensively, the Panthers will need to focus on containing the Dons' leading scorers, Larissa Robles who averages 17.8 points per game and Anaya Beard with 12.6 points per game.

The team is scheduled to depart campus around 2:00 p.m. today for the 6:00 p.m. tip-off.