Behind a dominant defensive performance and key contributions from Kyana Davis and Aliyah Young, West Los Angeles College (13-9, 5-3 WSC) secured a hard-fought 55-46 road victory over Bakersfield College on Wednesday night.
West LA set the tone early, jumping out to a 21-11 lead after the first quarter thanks to an aggressive defensive effort that held Bakersfield to just 28.8% shooting for the game. Aliyah Young sparked the offense, sinking a three-pointer at the 7:05 mark in the first quarter, then converting back-to-back free throws less than a minute later to push the lead to 7-2. The Wildcats kept their momentum, closing the quarter with a layup from Davis with 12 seconds left, capping off a dominant first frame.
Bakersfield attempted to claw back in the second quarter, trimming the deficit to 23-16 after a mid-range jumper from Kilah Monje at 7:15. But West LA responded with Kennedee Rankin’s driving layup at 6:56, followed by a strong finish from Davis at 6:34 that re-established a nine-point cushion (27-18). By halftime, the Wildcats led 35-18, fueled by 15 first-half points from Young and Davis.
The second half saw Bakersfield push back, cutting the lead to 37-25 following an Isabel Acevez three-pointer with 6:34 left in the third. The Wildcats, however, maintained their defensive pressure, forcing turnovers and limiting Bakersfield’s second-chance opportunities. A pair of free throws from Rankin at 5:04 helped keep West LA in control, and they carried a 43-35 lead into the final quarter.
Bakersfield made one last push in the closing minutes, pulling within 49-39 after a layup from Monje at 8:39 in the fourth quarter. But West LA’s defense held firm, with Davis knocking down a key jumper at 7:23 and Schwenke converting on a layup at 6:08 to stretch the lead back to double digits. Bakersfield’s final points came on a three-pointer by Acevez with 22 seconds left, but it was too little, too late as the Wildcats sealed the 55-46 victory.