Back when Cal Poly Women’s Basketball head coach Shanele Stires and assistant coach Samba Johnson worked together on the Ohio University basketball staff, they made a pact that whoever got a head coaching job first would hire the other.
When Stires was named the head coach of Cal Poly in 2022, she brought Johnson with her to San Luis Obispo.
But in a Big West matchup against Long Beach State on Saturday, Feb. 10, Stires missed the game due to an undisclosed reason. It was Johnson who took the reins as head coach.
“I can never step up into her role,” Johnson said. “She’s that great of a coach. She’s one of the best coaches in the country, so all I tried to do was just be me and be her right-hand man.”
After trailing by 21 at one point in the game, the Johnson and the Mustangs (13-9, 9-4 BW) would make an incredible comeback to beat Long Beach (8-14, 3-9 BW) by a final score of 84-76.
Turnovers lead to Transition Baskets
The Mustangs have had 20 or more turnovers in 11 games this season, including this game against Long Beach State, where the Mustangs finished with 21 turnovers.
In the first half, the Mustangs had 11 turnovers which led to 14 Long Beach State points.
In the second half, the Mustangs still had 10 turnovers but stopped Long Beach in transition and hold them to 10 points off those turnovers
Zone Offense
Throughout the entire game, Long Beach was in an aggressive zone defense that the Mustangs had trouble beating. In the first half, the Mustangs shot just 36% percent.
Although the struggles from the field in the first half, the Mustangs went 16 of 16 from the free throw line and graduate guard Ania McNicholas hit a three to end the half to give the Mustangs some momentum going into the break.
The Mustangs figured out how to beat the zone in the second half, shooting 50% in the third quarter behind senior forward Natalia Ackerman and junior guard Annika Shah.
Spark Late in the Game
With the Mustangs down by 15 at the half, they needed a spark in the second half, and they got it from the whole team. Freshman Mary Carter and Shah both hit huge threes in the fourth quarter and Ackerman added a bucket and a pair of free throws. The Mustangs were down by two with just four minutes left in the game.
“I was wide open, and it was the shot to take, so I was just ready for the moment,” Shah said after the game.
Mott Athletic Center was electric as the Mustangs were mounting this comeback, especially after Carter drilled another three with just over three minutes left to give the Mustangs their first lead of the day.
The Mustangs benefitted nine points off of nine turnovers from Long Beach State in the fourth quarter
Ackerman continues her strong season with her seventh double-double performance. She would finish the game with 25 points and 11 rebounds while adding two steals and two blocks. She got to the free throw line 14 times and drained 13 of her attempts.
McNicholas added 16 points on 5-6 shooting. Shah added 13 points, while junior forward Sydney Bourland converted five of her ten field goals for 12 points.
Cal Poly will head on the road to Hawaii next Thursday, Feb. 15 to play the Rainbow Warriors.