Orange, Calif.— After a hard fought 45 minutes of basketball, Chapman fell by just one point 69-68 at home against Redlands. The Panthers scratched and clawed with a strong offensive attack against a taller Redlands team.
Freshman point guard
Kira Watanabe led the way with 25 points and six made three-pointers to go along with four rebounds and four assists on the day. Most threes the guard hit stretched far beyond the arc and came in some of the most clutch moments of the game.
Layla Woods (13) and
Shanna Brown (16) also combined for another 29 points. Woods knocked down her signature elbow jump shot in multiple clutch moments. Brown knocked down two threes and two free throws that put the Panthers in a position to win at game's end.
With mere seconds left in the fourth quarter, Brown stepped to the line knocking down two free throws which gave the Panthers a one point lead. Despite the close loss, the Panthers were in a strong position to win until the game's final possession.
The Panthers also held Redlands to 23 percent shooting in the opening quarter, had more second chance points, bench points and points off turnovers.
Despite the outcome, Chapman has already clinched a spot in the upcoming SCIAC Tournament. Before then, the Panthers will close out the regular season at home against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. The team will tip off at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22.
