The Dons celebrated Sophomore Night on Feb. 22, recognizing their two sophomores, Mia Sanchez and Derisa Taleni, prior to their last game of the regular season.

During the ceremony, Head Coach Arden Kragalott praised Taleni saying, “She’s the most prolific scorer in De Anza College history.”

Taleni’s records include most points scored in a single game (43), and most points scored in a single season (746).

“We’re very lucky to have her here. You hear me speak about numbers, but Derisa is not about numbers … I’m going to miss her leadership,” said Kragalott.

The contest, held on February 23, featured a “tough defensive battle,” according to Kragalott, as the Dons, ranked number nine in northern California tried to gain momentum going into the playoffs. They played the San Francisco City College Rams, ranked number three in northern California.

The first half of the game boasted little offense, as the score going into halftime was 23-18 in favor of San Francisco .

“We never got in rhythm with each other. We weren’t on the same page,” said Kragalott.

Even team leader Derisa Taleni was stifled offensively, scoring only eight points in the first half. “We need to improve our intensity and offensive continuity,” said Assistant Coach Cleveland Prince just as the second half was about to start.

The Dons responded to their coaches’ assessment, coming back to tie the game at 25 points after only a few minutes had gone by in the second half.

Each team continued to make shots, and with 8:25 left in the game the score was still in a deadlock at 31-31. The Dons’ offensive struggles reccurred down the stretch, and they went scoreless in the ensuing minutes, falling behind 38-31.

“They got the key rebounds. We need(ed) to do a better job boxing-out,” said Kragalott.

The Dons tried to claw back into the game, but their effort came too little too late, and they fell to the Rams 47-36.

“We need to score more than 36 points to win,” said Kragalott.

Taleni finished the game with 11 points, and declined to comment on the game. “It was a playoff atmosphere…we’re disappointed, but we have playoffs to look forward to … we just got to let it go,” added Kragalott.

The loss snapped De Anza’s eight game winning streak. Nevertheless, they have nothing to hang their heads about after finishing their season as Southern Coast Conference Champions, undefeated within the conference.

The Northern California Playoffs begin Feb. 27, and De Anza College will be looking to expand their trophy case.

Luis Cardenas is a staff reporter for La Voz. Contact Sonia at [email protected]