Bonita Rolls Over Diamond Ranch 62-45

LA VERNE – Nikki Wheatley scored 23 of her 29 points in the second half as the Bonita Bearcats completed the season sweep of the visiting Diamond Ranch Panthers 62-45 Friday night in a key Hacienda League matchup.  Bonita defeated Diamond Ranch 51-45 earlier this season.

The win puts Bonita two games ahead of the Panthers, and secured sole possession of first place in the Hacienda League standing with five games to go.

Miscues and empty possessions by Bonita enabled Diamond Ranch to claw back into the game.  After Rhys Northrup opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer to put the Bearcats ahead 20-10, Diamond Ranch went on a 12-2 run behind Cayla Freeman’s 6 points during the run to tie the game at 22-22.

Freeman finished with 12 points, four rebounds and a steal. Ty Lark tallied 14 points and seven rebounds, while Emilee Dy added 6 points for Diamond Ranch.

The Panthers, as well as the Bearcats each could have taken the significant lead in the first half, if not for missing free throws, especially in the second quarter where neither team could seem to get anything going.

“We didn’t play well in the first half,” Bonita head coach Darren Baumunk said. “I told them at halftime that we are a better team and we had to play like it.”

And played like it Bonita did, as the bearcats came out of the gates in the third quarter, scoring six unanswered points before Diamond Ranch knew what hit them. Wheately then went to work, scoring 10 of the Bearcats’ points in the quarter to give Bonita a 10 point lead. Diamond Ranch was able to close the gap to 33-31, but that is as close as the Panthers would get as Bonita ran away in the fourth to put the game out of reach.

Ariana Abo added 12 points and a steal, while Cassie Martinez pitched in five points and three rebounds for the Bearcats.

“You don’t really understand how good of a player she (Wheatley) really is unless you are on the floor with her,” Baumunk said. “She is a heck of a player.”

Bonita fell to Bishop Amat 49-42 Saturday afternoon at the Southern California shootout at Azusa Pacific University.  Wheatley scored a game high 18 points in the losing effort.

Bonita (18-5, 8-0) return to league play as it travels to West Covina (11-11, 4-4) next Friday.  Tip-off is at 5pm

BOX SCORES

BONITA (62) – Nikki Wheatley (29), Ariana Abo (12), Cassie Martinez (5), Stephanie Vana (4), Erin Hastings, Maya Gonzalez (3), Rhys Northrup (3), Nalah Massey (2)

DIAMOND RANCH (45) -  Tai Lark (14), Cayla Freeman (12), Emilee Dy (6), Sydney Cabellon (5),  Farrah Castillo (4),  Catrina Freeman (2),  Sarah Kretschmar (2)