WBK Playoff Preview: #18 Citrus College at #15 Chaffey College - Round #1

A preview of the opening round match-up between #18 Citrus College and #15 Chaffey College in the 2016 California Community College Athletic Association Southern California Playoffs on Wednesday February 24th at 7:00 PM. 

 About the Match-Up

Wednesday night's contest between the Owls and the Panthers is the 7th meeting between the two schools since the 2006-2007 season and the second this year. In that span, Chaffey is 6-0 against Citrus, including a 76-65 victory against the Owls in the 3rd Place Game of the Mt. San Jacinto Tournament back on November 15th. Three of the Panthers' wins over Citrus have come in Rancho Cucamonga, while the other three have been on Neutral floors. 

About the Panthers

Chaffey heads into the 2016 post-season after a good 2015-2016 campaign that saw the Comets go 16-11 overall and finish in a tie for second place in the Foothill Conference at 7-3. Much like the Citrus Men's program, Chaffey overcome a midseason lull that saw them drop six straight games, before righting the ship and going on to win 9 of their last 12. 

Sophomore forward Chelsea Waddy-Blow paces the Panthers. Arguably one of the top bigs in the State, Waddy-Blow averaged 20.8 points per game and 12.8 rebounds a contest, while converting 52.7% of her shot attempts, and was rightly named the Foothill Conference's Most Valuable Player. Waddy-Blow isn't the only way the Panthers can beat you though as sophomore guard Denisha Spivey averages 14 ppg and is averaging 4.6 assists per contests. Freshman guard Alexis Frondarina has been impressive as well, averaging 13.7 ppg, and leading the team in 3-point shooting hitting 32.4% shots from downtown.   

About the Owls

Citrus heads into the 2016 post-season after their best season since their 2008-2009 campaign. The Owls finished 17-10 overall and 10-4 in WSC South play tying with LA Valley College for second place in the Western State Conference South Division. 

The Owls have the 17th highest scoring offense in the entire State, and has eight players averaging at least five points a game. Sophomore Janae Chamois leads the pack at 15.2 ppg, while sophomore Natalie Gutierrez is just under the double-digit mark at 9.2 ppg. Freshman Joy Adlao has turned herself into one of the top marksman in the State, hitting 39.6% of her shots from three (the 7th best mark in the entire CCCAA), and is averaging 8.2 points a contest. Sophomore Allison Zalin has been the Owls' most consistent post player this season averaging 7.9 points and 6.3 boards a game, but freshmen Marisol Chavez-Delgado (7.2 ppg | 6.2 rpg) and Marisa Brown (6.2 ppg | 4.9 rpg)  aren't far off.    

Playoff History

Citrus College

Wednesday night's game at Chaffey College is just Citrus' third playoff appearance since the 2000-2001 season. In Citrus' first post-season appearance in that span back in 2005, the Owls (who were the #10 seed) actually beat #7 seed Chaffey College 61-45 in Rancho Cucamonga (ed. note: no regular season records are available prior to the 2005-2006 season). The Owls would go on to fall to #2 seed Riverside in the second round 66-50. Citrus' most recent appearance came seven years ago in the 2008-2009 season, when the Owls earned the #17 seed and upset #16 LA Pierce College 78-77 in Woodland Hills during the opening round. Citrus once again fell in the second round though, again to the #2 seed, this time a 56-74 defeat at the hands of Ventura College. Awaiting the winner of Wednesday's game is another #2 seed in the form of Mt. San Jacinto College (28-1). 

Chaffey College

Unlike Citrus, who is making just their third playoff appearance in the last 16 years, the Panthers have been a regular member of the post-season making appearances in 12 of the last 16 including this season. Chaffey just missed the playoffs in 2015, but had made the playoffs the previous four seasons and had made it seven of the last nine years. 

In that span, the Panthers are just 5-11 in the post-season, but more impressively have been 4-1 in playoff games at home. In the same vein, Chaffey is 4-1 when they've been the higher seed. Their lone loss in both of those instances, was that 2005 loss to Citrus. 

How To Follow

The easiest way to follow the action on Wednesday night will be to attend the game in person inside "The Sports Center" on the campus of Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga. General admission is $12 per person, while children under 12, students, faculty, staff, and senior citizens aged 60+ (all with ID) are $8 as set by the California Community College Athletic Association. Additionally, parking is $4 on the campus of Chaffey College. If you can't attend in person, live stats will be offered live on CitrusOwls.com. Lastly, the Citrus College Athletics Twitter Page (@ccfightingowls) will be updated throughout the game.