Giants women's basketball topples three state-ranked opponents to open season

By Nick Giannandrea

COS ATHLETICS

The Tyler Newton era of College of the Sequoias women's basketball is off to a blazing start.

The preseason state top-ranked Giants opened the 2024-2025 campaign by sweeping the teams ranked Nos. 2-4 during the Mt. San Antonio Tip-Off Classic on Nov. 1-3 in Walnut.

In his first games since being named coach in April, Newton guided Sequoias to wins over No. 2-ranked and defending state champion Orange Coast, No. 3 Moorpark and No. 4 Mt. SAC.

The Giants (3-0) completed the successful trifecta with a last-seconds 69-68 victory over host Mt. SAC on Nov. 3.

Trailing 68-66, Jocelyn Medina (Arbuckle) -- one of three reigning all-state transfers from Butte, Newton's previous team -- scored off a pass from fellow transfer Morgan Trigueiro (Caruthers) and drew a foul with 11 seconds left. Medina sank the free throw to put Sequoias ahead. 

Mt. SAC (2-1) got off a potential go-ahead shot with a second left that was off the mark, with Campbell Vieg (Chico), the third Butte transfer, securing the rebound to close it out.

Medina, a second-team all-Northern California Region selection while helping Butte to the state semifinals last season, led the Giants with 17 points, six rebounds and six assists.

Trigueiro, who was first-team all-NorCal Region, contributed 16 points, three assists and two rebounds.

Vieg, who was second-team all-NorCal Region, added 11 points, six assists and three rebounds.

Sequoias also received eight points and three rebounds from Olivia Gill (Woodland); seven points and a rebound from Lucia Ricci (Seattle); three points, a rebound and an assist from Karine Dhaliwal (Yuba); three points, five rebounds and two assists from Kaitlin Giacone (Eureka); two points, two assists and a rebound from Anisa Torres (Caruthers); and two points and four rebounds from Mallary Gonzalez (Hoover-Fresno).

The Giants raced past two-time reigning state champion Orange Coast 81-63 on Nov. 2 behind 21 points, eight rebounds and three assists from Medina.

Orange Coast returned five players, including two starters, from a team that beat Glendale 71-60 in the state final last season.

Sequoias took a 19-15 lead after the first quarter and built its advantage to 45-33 by halftime.

The Giants outscored the Pirates (2-1) 19-7 in the third quarter to grow their lead to 24 points (64-40). Orange Coast got no closer than 19 points until a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the final score.

Giacone had 14 points, three rebounds, three steals and two blocks off the bench.

Vieg (12 points, five assists, two rebounds, two steals and one block) and Trigueiro (11 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks) also scored in double figures for Sequoias.

The Giants also received eight points, six rebounds and two steals from Gill; seven points, a rebound and an assist from Dhaliwal; two points, four rebounds and an assist from Ricci; two points, 11 rebounds and three assists from Gonzalez; two points and three rebounds from Tylie Hatcher (Cloverdale); two points from Emily Pallesi (Reedley); an assist from Torres; and assist from Teresa Sandoval (Hanford West); and a rebound from Maya McNeal (Marysville).

The Giants, who went 20-10 and reached the Northern California Regional finals last season under interim coach Doug White, opened the season with a 68-58 defeat of Moorpark on Nov. 1.

Sequoias opened a 14-point lead (42-28) through the first half.

Moorpark got as close as nine points (59-50) with 6:48 to play, but the Giants responded with an 8-0 run over the next 3 minutes, capped by a Trigueiro 3-pointer, to push their lead to 17 points (67-50). The Raiders would not get within single digits the rest of the way.

Medina's 14 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block paced Sequoias.

Trigueiro added 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

The starting five also saw Ricci deliver eight points, five rebounds, four steals and two assists; Vieg contribute seven points, three rebounds, four steals, three assists and a block; and Gill add seven points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal.

Off the bench, Torres had eight points, two rebounds and an assist; Giacone had six points, three rebounds, an assist and a block; Dhaliwal had three points and three rebounds; Gonzalez had two points, four rebounds, one assist and one block; and Sandoval had a rebound.

Sequoias returns to action at 6 p.m. Nov. 7 at Cuesta (1-0).

The Giants also play road games at 5 p.m. Nov. 8 against Rio Hondo (1-2) and 5 p.m. Nov. 9 against No. 6 Glendale (0-0) during the Rio Hondo-Glendale Crossover in Whittier.

Sequoias' first home game is set for 6 p.m. Nov. 22 against Antelope Valley (2-1) at Porter Field House.