Panthers Outlast Santa Ana in Overtime Win

The Chaffey College women's basketball team earned a thrilling 64-63 overtime win on Wednesday night at the Sports Center, edging Santa Ana College in a back-and-forth battle that featured clutch scoring, strong rebounding and a standout performance from Danielle Singley. The Panthers delivered key plays late in regulation and extra time to secure their fourth win of the season.

Chaffey opened the game with active defensive pressure but struggled to convert early looks, shooting just 20 percent in the first quarter and trailing 11-7. Singley also reached a major career milestone early in the quarter, surpassing 500 points as a Panther and adding another highlight to her standout Chaffey career. The Panthers responded to the deficit in the second quarter with their best stretch of the half, erupting for 23 points on 62.5 percent shooting. Cali Azcuenega knocked down two threes in the quarter, while Abby Hardy provided efficient scoring inside to help Chaffey take a 30-29 lead into halftime.

The third quarter remained tightly contested, with both teams continuing to trade scores inside and keeping the margin tight. The Dons held a narrow 44-43 advantage heading into the fourth quarter, but the Panthers fought back again behind critical plays from Singley, Hardy and Niyah Thomas, forcing overtime after both sides finished regulation tied at 59-59.

In overtime, Chaffey's interior defense and rebounding made the difference. The Panthers held the Dons to just four overtime points while securing several key stops. A late basket from Singley and steady ball movement down the stretch sealed the one-point victory.

Singley turned in a dominant two-way performance, finishing with a season-high 21 points on 8-for-22 shooting while adding 13 rebounds, three steals and three blocks in 37 minutes. Hardy delivered her best outing of the season off the bench, scoring 12 points on 6-for-10 shooting while grabbing seven rebounds.

Castricone followed with 11 points, nine rebounds, and three assists, providing crucial perimeter scoring and stability across long stretches of play. Thomas orchestrated the offense with a team-high 12 assists, tied for her season best, while adding eight points and one steal. Cali Azcuenaga provided six points on a pair of threes and Venezia Perez added three assists and three rebounds in 29 minutes.

As a team, Chaffey shot 40.3 percent from the field and 71.4 percent at the free-throw line, while outrebounding the Dons 53-41 and producing 22 bench points. The Panthers also forced 16 turnovers and recorded nine steals in the defensive effort.

The Panthers will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 22, hosting Santa Barbara City College at 1:30 p.m.