Lakers clinch first league title since 1996

Pegoraro paces Lakeland with 26

Lakeland Community College women’s coach Ornette Gardenhire was thoroughly drenched and smiling Feb. 22 at the Athletic and Fitness Center. The Lakers had just beaten Sinclair Community College, 88-77, to secure the program’s first Ohio Community College Athletic Conference regular-season title since 1996.

In the process, the Lakers extended their winning streak to a school-record 23 games.

After an on-court celebration that included the donning of OCCAC champion hats and T-shirts, as well as cutting down of the nets, the LCC players ambushed Gardenhire in the locker room with a shower of sports drink.

“I am soaked, but it’s great soaked,” Gardenhire said.

“This is all about those players,” he added. “They wanted this so bad and worked so hard to get it.”

The Lakers upped their records to 24-1 overall and 11-0 in the OCCAC.

“This has been a total team effort all season,” said freshman forward Gianna Pegoraro. “We made it happen.”

Pegoraro finished with a game-high 26 points. The Mentor High School product was 9-of-13 from the field overall and 4-of-5 from 3-point range. She also grabbed six rebounds and handed out four assists as the Lakers erased a 52-49 halftime deficit with a 20-4 explosion on the third quarter.

“That third quarter was the difference in this game,” Gardenhire said. Sophomore forward Armani Jackson was a force throughout with 20 points and a game-high 16 rebounds. Her 3-pointer from the right baseline early in the third quarter gave the Lakers the lead for good at 55-52.

LCC sophomore point guard Julie Hajdu (Kenston) finished with 15 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three blocked shots.

“This feels amazing,” Hajdu said. “We were always confident in ourselves and what we could accomplish.” Freshman guard Makayla Cooper came off the bench for the Lakers to add 10 points, three assists and two steals. Dominique Camp had 19 points for Sinclair (1314, 5-7).

The only blemish on LCC’s record is a 78-76 home loss to Delta (Mich.) College on Nov. 8.

“The character shown by these players is so important,” Gardenhire said.

LCC finishes the regular season at Edison Community College on Feb. 29. Tipoff is 1 p.m.

DAVID S. GLASIER — THE NEWS-HERALD Lakeland Community College women’s basketball players and coaches celebrate after an 88-77 win over Sinclair Community College on Feb. 22made the Lakers regularseason champions in the OCCAC for the first time since 1996.