By Diego Linares
Women’s basketball is now ranked fifth in the state and third in the southern region after finishing the 35th annual Lady Charger Classic in fourth place over the weekend.
A poll by the California Community College Athletic Association was released on Monday revealing the new rankings.
East Los Angeles College head coach Bruce Turner said that the team has it’s mind set on the Elite Eight, which will be held in Ventura. So much so that they’ve already booked their accommodations.
“Oh yeah, we plan to be there,” said Turner. “We made reservations already. You don’t start a season saying, ‘I hope I get there.’ You plan it out… Now, you make reservations, all you have to do is show up.”
The team started the Lady Charger Classic at Cypress College by scoring 102 against Santa Monica College on Friday.
ELAC won that game by a margin of 46 points.
The team lost two straight games thereafter.
Sunday’s game was the second time that ELAC has played Palomar College this preseason.
ELAC won and snapped a 33-game streak at home during the Palomar Comet Classic for their first matchup on Nov. 18.
Now both teams sit at No. 3 in the southern region in the CCCWBCA poll.
Jaelynn Curley is one of four sophomores on the team who said that the quartet of players don’t feel like they tell the freshmen much because the incoming students know what’s expected of them.
“On this team, there really isn’t a freshman or sophomore. We’re all basically trying to get on the same level. It’s been great so far with the incoming freshmen,” said Curley.
Dominique Godbolt has come in and averaged 13.3 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.9 steals as a freshman this season. Godbolt is currently ranked fourth in offensive rebounds and fifth in total rebounds in the state this season.
Turner said that it’s good for the freshman on the team to get the playing time in these tournaments.
“Experience is the best teacher,” said Turner. “(The tournaments are) a good environment to let them know, ‘A lot of people out there are against you. What are you going to do?’”
Jennifer Pool is a sophomore who has contributed to the offense by helping facilitate.
She is second overall in steals and third in assists in the state.
“I really love playing with both of them (Curley and Godbolt),” said Pool. “But (Godbolt) is a big who you don’t usually see on on other teams. (Godbolt) is a big who can dribble – do a bit of everything – who can shoot threes. I admire that.”
So far, the team is ranked Top-10 in total points scored (2), field goals made per game (4), offensive rebounds (4), points per game (7), assists per game (8) and three-point percentage (9).
Turner said that ELAC is in one of the toughest conferences in the state.
ELAC is in the South Coast-North Conference, which is made up of six teams.
So far, only Chaffey College has a losing record.
Chaffey is also the only school in the conference not ranked in the Top-20 state poll.
Los Angeles Trade Technical College sits at No. 4 in the state, right above ELAC.
Pasadena City College is currently at No. 8, while Mt. San Antonio and Rio Hondo Colleges are at 15 and 18 respectively.