ARCATA—A cold spell against a team that rarely cools off cost the Chico State women's basketball team a shot at the California Collegiate Athletic Association title. The Wildcats missed 11 straight shots during a 19-2 Cal State San Marcos push and never fully recovered, falling to the Cougars 73-60 in a CCAA Tournament semifinal at Lumberjack Arena.
One thing that wasn't missing for the Wildcats was fight. They punched back time and time again in the second half, getting as close as seven against the 19th-ranked Cougars.
"I couldn't be more proud of our fight," said Chico State Head Coach Brian Fogel. "We fought back and that's what we've done all season long. We've dug ourselves some deep holes, but we always find a way. We have a resolve that's amazing. I can't say enough about our fight."
Charity Gallegos gave another valliant effort, finishing with 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Haley Ison had nine points, all during the third-quarter comeback, and chipped in eight rebounds before fouling out. Makenzi Laporte had eight points and 10 rebounds.
The Wildcats finish their season with a record of 14-11 having won seven of their final 11.
They were determined to finish Friday's game with a flourish as well. They cut a deficit that was once as large to 20 all the way down to seven at 67-60 with just over two minutes to play. Freshmen Gallegos, Laporte and Mathis combined for all the Wildcat points during the 10-2 run that got them there.
Before that, to begin the second half, Gallegos scored on a drive, found Ison for a jumper, and then turned a steal at half court into a layup ahead of the pack for a modest 6-2 push that cut the lead to 46-33 and forced a Cougars timeout. A Bailey Jones jumper and inside baskets by Ison, Jordan Morris, and Myli Martinez all got the Wildcats as close as 12. Ison's three-point play finally got the game back into single digits, 55-46, with 1:52 left in the third.
But Chico State missed 10 of its next 12 shots as the Cougars built the lead back to 15.
They weren't done attacking, though, and eventually got it to seven before the Cougars put the game away.
The Wildcats ran with the CCAA's top-scoring offense early on and trailed just 13-11 with two minutes to go in the first quarter. They didn't make another bucket until India Starr's pull-up jumper with 3:27 to go in the half. Meanwhile, the Cougars scored the last five points of the first quarter and the first four points of the second quarter to surge ahead by double digits.
Starr's five points and Makenzie Laporte's three-point play helped the offense right the ship a bit, but they could not find an answer to the Cougars, who moved the ball crisply to get open looks and knocked down shots at a 56-percent clip on the way to a 44-27 halftime lead.
The battle was just beginning, however.
Mikaela Bismillah, the team's lone senior, and Fogel agree that the program's future is bright. And that this week's experience will serve them well.
"We'll work hard in the offseason and we will be better next season because of our experiences this week," Fogel said.
Six of the team's 11 eligible returners were freshman.
"Next year and years forward they are going to do amazing things," Bismillah said. "This is one of the best teams I have played on. We have so much talent. We're such a young team, and we were able to get into the tournament for a lot of people's first year. That's just so much experience that can help us in the future."
The example Bismallah has set, will help as well.
"(Chico's) been everything to me. Chico's been fun. I made the most of it, I think," she said.
And then some, according to Fogel, who appeared to get emotional while describing the impact she's had on the program and the promise of her future.
"She's going to go on and go to grad school and wherever she ends up going and whatever she ends up doing she's going to make a community that much better just because of who she is and what she is," Fogel said. "Every kid comes into our program and they work their tails off. If you're going to be here for four years, there's a standard that you have to be able to live up to. Each year she's gotten better and better, and her biggest jump, to her credit, was during the COVID year. Night and day difference. I could not be more proud of her.
"Her minutes aren't as many as others, but her contribution is every bit as great as the kids making baskets, probably greater. Those are the people that drive the engine behind successful teams. She is an absolutely outstanding student, and I couldn't be more proud of her. I'm really grateful that she's been part of our program."
One of the Wildcats' most popular players, Bismillah will be graduating this spring with a bachelor of science degree in exercise physiology. She plans to attend graduate school and ultimately pursue a career in physical therapy.
