The Jamestown Community College women's basketball team took on the best NJCAA Region 3 has to offer on Tuesday and the result was an 89-29 victory for the visiting Monroe CC Lady Tribunes.
Monroe is the only Division I team in Region 3 and it came into the game listed nationally under honorable mention with a 15-4 record. The Lady Tribunes' four losses were in Florida back in November. Since then, they have won 15 straight games.
Meanwhile, JCC, a Division II team is now 14-8 and will chalk up Tuesday night's game as a learning experience.
And what better team to learn from. When Monroe was in Division II, it won three national championships in 2001, 2004 and 2005. Then the Lady Tribunes moved up to Division I and captured a national title at that level in 2006.
''Not only did we play the best in the region, but they (Monroe) played three No. 1-ranked junior college teams in the first month of the season,'' JCC coach George Sisson said. ''They've lost four games and three came to the No. 1-ranked team at the time in junior college Division I. We're talking about a team that is potentially poised probably be in the top 15 in junior college Division I.''
So that's definitely a challenge for a Division II team
''It's not fair to judge apple versus oranges,'' Sisson said. ''There are no ramifications from this game. What did I want to see from my girls? I want to see them compete hard through the whole game. ''
And he thought his Jayhawks did, even though the final score and statistics might not show it.
''As much as coaches, in our minds can see that, but it's very difficult when you get beat in every aspect of the game,'' Sisson said. ''I give my girls a lot of credit. It's a challenge we put on them playing this team (twice) every year. There's some girls on this team that you saw tonight that are going to be in the Big East next year.''
He added, ''For everyone who came to the game and doesn't know anything about Monroe and the difference between Division I and Division II junior college, they just found out tonight.''
The Jayhawks can go back to concentrating on their Region 3 Division II schedule.
''We have three home games next week that can really solidify our playoffs one way or the other,'' he said. ''First, we have to secure our home court again. We have to find a way to get the home-court mantra back.''
Monroe, as usual, took control from the opening tip and jumped out to a 14-4 lead after four minutes of play. Then JCC showed a spark of life when Ashley DePane hit a 3-pointer and Taylor Storer followed with a 2 to pull the Jayhawks within five with 15 minutes left in the first half.
The Lady Tribunes quickly snuffed out that JCC spark by scoring 17 straight points and they went on to outscore the hosts 34-5 in the final 15 minutes for a 48-14 halftime lead.
Nothing changed in the second half. Monroe was leading by 39 when it scored 13 straight points to totally wrap things up with a 74-20 lead with about five minutes left.
Monroe, featuring a 6-foot-4 player, one at 6-0 and two at 5-8, dominated the boards with a 38-17 rebounding advantage. The Lady Tribunes also kept the Jayhawks out of the lane which is why the hosts made only one trip to the free-throw line and missed.
''Now when we play Niagara (County CC), we have an all-new idea of length in a zone,'' Sisson said referring back to a home loss to NCCC in which its height was a factor. ''They're going to look back and say, 'They're no way near as long as Monroe.'''
JCC shot only 6-of-23 from the field compared to Monroe's 19-of-37.
Ayana Ratliff led Monroe with 19 points while Karin Robinson had 13 and Deaisia Acklin 10.
JCC's leading scorer was Amy Sands with six points while Kelsie Beaver and Lauren Saglimben had five apiece.
JCC returns to action on Tuesday when Mercyhurst North East visits for a Region 3 Division II game.
''For my girls, if we learned from it, it was success no matter how bad it hurts right now,'' Sisson said about the loss to Monroe. ''Maybe it will show up next Tuesday and Thursday and Saturday at home. That's when it counts.''
MONROE (89)
McKnight 3 2-2 8, Lester 0 2-2 2, Ackin 4 1-2 10, Purvis 3 1-2 8, Coe 4 1-2 10, Ratliff 7 2-4 19, Robinson 6 0-0 13, Powell 3 1-2 7, Jones 1 4-4 6, Barr 0 0-0 0, Watson 3 0-0 6, Totals 34 14-20 89.
JCC (29)
Storer 1 0-0 2, Beaver 2 0-0 5, Sheldon 0 0-0 0, Biela 2 0-0 4, Saglimben 2 0-0 5, Draggett 1 0-0 2, DePane 1 0-0 3, Kickbush 0 0-1 0, Smith 0 0-0 0Nickerson 1 0-0 2, Sands 3 0-0 6, Totals 13 0-1 29.
Halftime-Monroe 48, JCC 14. 3-point goals-Ackin, Purvis, Coe, Ratliff 3, Robinson, Beaver, Saglimben, DePane. Total fouls-Monroe 10, JCC 13.