OCC denies Hornets

COSTA MESA — It has been a heady week for Orange Coast College freshman Simone Ibbotson.

First, the Edison High product scored a career-high 22 points in the Pirates’ Orange Empire Conference win at Cypress Wednesday. Then, the 5-foot-9 forward pasted herself to 6-1 Fullerton center Amy Richard, who came away with only three points and no field goals on three field-goal attempts, in the Pirates’ 64-50 conference triumph Friday at home.

Ibbotson’s active denial defense on Richard, who amassed 23 points and 21 rebounds to help the Hornets knock off the Pirates, 68-56, in their first meeting at Fullerton Jan. 16, virtually forced Fullerton Coach Debi Woelke to reposition Richard from the low block to the high post, in the second half, an attempt to open the lane for other Hornet attackers.

“Simone is really coming into her own,” OCC Coach Mike Thornton said of Ibbotson, who had nine points and four rebounds, but was still the biggest factor for the Pirates (25-3, 9-1 in conference), ranked No. 3 in Southern California and No. 5 in the state. “We had to focus on denying [Richard] the ball inside. She had no field goals and only three points and 12 rebounds, so, obviously, [shutting her down] was the big difference in the game. A month ago at Fullerton, she dominated us in every way.”

The athletic Ibbotson never left Richard’s shoulder and also received help when Richard did manage to catch the ball down low. Richard had only one field-goal attempt, an air ball, until the final minute of the first half. She scored her first point, her only point of the half, with 22 seconds remaining. She netted two free throws with 16:42 left in the game, and did not attempt a field goal after intermission.

“Whatever they did [moving Richard to the high post], I’m glad they did,” said Thornton, who said his team improved its ball movement and aggressiveness, offensively, after opening a 28-16 halftime lead.

“In the first half, I thought our offense was stagnant,” said Thornton, whose team owns a two-game lead over Saddleback with four conference games remaining. The Pirates are now three games ahead of Fullerton (16-13, 6-4), ranked No. 11 in Southern California and No. 19 in the state. “The second half, I thought we moved the ball better.”