Cuesta College women’s basketball opens Phillips 66 Classic with win

The Cuesta College women’s basketball team defeated Desert 66-58 on the strength of freshman Madison Colllins’ game-high 22 points to cap off opening night Thursday of Cuesta’s 33rd-annual Phillips 66 Classic.

The Cougars will face Western State Conference foe Pierce in a semifinal game Friday night.

Cuesta College, playing without head Coach Ron Barba, who was ill, jumped out to a fast start in the team’s home opener of the 2016-17 season, building a 17-point second quarter lead.

The Roadrunners closed the gap to four points by the intermission. After halftime, the Roadrunners netted three consecutive three-point shots to take their first lead, and the two teams traded the lead until the final few minutes when the Cougars pushed ahead for the win.

Taylor Neal spurred the comeback in the fourth quarter with several key steals and rebounds and finished the game with 16 points, 10 rebounds and six steals.

Thursday night’s other first-round scores:

Las Positas 72, Monterey Peninsula 71

Allan Hancock 58, American River 45

Pierce 73, Hartnell 66

Friday’s schedule:

Monterey Peninsula vs. American River, noon

Hartnell vs. Desert, 2 p.m.

Las Positas vs. Allan Hancock, 4 p.m.

Pierce v. Cuesta, 6 p.m.

This story was originally published December 2, 2016 at 9:24 AM with the headline "Cuesta College women’s basketball opens Phillips 66 Classic with win."