Humboldt downs Sonoma State
Jacks down Sonoma State in conference-opening victory
Alexia Thrower led all scorers with 33 points and made 4-of-4 free-throws with 7 seconds remaining to break a tie and give the Humboldt State women’s basketball team a decisive lead en route to a 64-58 win over visiting Sonoma State on what was the opening night of California Collegiate Athletic Association play, Thursday night at Lumberjack Arena.
Thrower, who played all 40 minutes, drove to the basket as the clock ticked down to single digits in the fourth-quarter looking to break a 58-58 tie. The senior was fouled by Sonoma’s Zane Sheckherd, who compounded her mistake by drawing a technical foul with her reaction to the initial call.
The fouls gave Thrower four attempts at the line.
It was all Humboldt (3-1, 1-0) needed to walk away 1-0 in conference.
Thrower was at the core of everything Humboldt did Thursday night. The senior made 12 of her teams 21 field-goals — including 8-of-12 in the first-half — and led the club in rebounds (8) and steals (3).
“I thought (Thrower) stayed in her aggressive attack mode the entire night,” Humboldt State head coach Michelle Bento-Jackson said.
Thrower had 17 points in the first-half to see her team into the break with a 31-29 lead.
Humboldt lost the lead early in the third-quarter and didn’t regain it until Gabrielle Carbajal made as series of game-changing plays.
The senior stole a Sonoma pass on an inbound play and took it to the rim for an easy layup, giving Humboldt a 52-51 lead with just over 2 minutes to play. On Sonoma’s following offensive trip down the court Carbajal drew a charge call, turning the tide of a razor-close game. Carbajal finished with 13 points.
“Those are championship plays,” Bento-Jackson said.
Serena Santos gave Sonoma a 1-point lead with 43 seconds to play only to have Thrower draw a foul on a made layup on Humboldt’s next trip down. Thrower’s 3-point play gave Humboldt a 5856 lead with 38 seconds to play and marked the last lead change of the evening.
Tyra Turner, Humboldt’s starting pointguard who missed two game due to an ankle injury, started Thursday’s game and played 37 minutes with only 1 turnover. She finished with 2 points and 3 steals.
Sonoma’s Sophie Northern, a College of the Redwoods transfer out of Arcata High who played her freshman season for Humboldt State, led the visitors in scoring with 19 points.
Up next
Humboldt will host Cal State LA Saturday evening at 5:30 p.m. inside Lumberjack Arena.