Preview: COS is one win away from the State Championship Tournament

Back in November College of the Sequoias women's basketball head coach Ray Alvarado made it clear that the team had lofty goals in order to consider this season a successful one.

"This group has its own high goals, but they are trying to match what the team two years ago did," Alvarado said earlier this season. "So we want to win conference, try to get in the 20 win column, and try to go as far as we can in the State Tournament."

COS won the Central Valley Conference at a perfect 12-0, and have won 26 games this season.

Now, a berth to the CCCAA State Championship Tournament is on the line Saturday as the No. 2-seeded Giants host No. 10 American River. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Porter Field House.

Sequoias, however, does not want to repeat what the 2014-15 team did. They finished just one win shy of the CCCAA Women's Basketball State Championship Tournament, posting a 29-4 overall record and finished 12-0 in CVC play.

COS (26-3) is looking to ride the hot hand of Idalis Rubalcava. She had an off night by her standards in last Saturday's 77-44 victory over No. 15 Sacramento City, posting 6 points on a team-high 13 rebounds. But the sophomore guard has gotten a double-double in the past four of six games.

The Giants will rely on the sharp shooting of an Auckland, New Zealand native to advance to the State Championship Tournament. Greissen Leslie leads the team with 171 threes taken, knocking down 37.5-percent of them in conference play.

In order to win, the Giants will need to slow down a pair of American River (19-10) guards in Deja Samuels and Alana Myers. The duo helped the Beavers upset No. 7 Fresno City 75-66 last Friday. Samuels scored a team-high 28 points, while Myers chipped in 11.

These two teams have met earlier this season, with COS coming out on top 66-53 in the San Joaquin Delta Jocelyn Mancebo Classic.

Giant guard's Zharia McCollum and Alyssa Gonzales each had 12 points in the November victory.

Fans are encouraged to wear orange for the "Orange Out" game. The first 250 COS students will receive orange t-shirts, along with free admission to the game. In addition, students are encouraged to attend a free COS student barbecue at 5:30 p.m.