MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1998

Women's basketball team loses key player

By Wes Woods

On-Line Forty-Niner

The Long Beach State women's basketball team could have been whistled for an extra player had Tomika Cantley played in its 74-62 victory over USC at The Pyramid Saturday.

But Cantley, the team's starting forward and co-captain along with guard Mandy Jacques, quit the team on Wednesday because she is pregnant.

After the game, however, Justin Kischefsky, assistant director of media relations, confirmed that Head Coach Dallas Boychuk had notified him that Cantley was indeed pregnant.

Boychuk said Cantley left the team because of "personal reasons." She declined to comment further saying "it's a privacy issue."

"It was surprising to hear that she had quit the team," Rhonda Smith, the 6-foot-8-inch junior center, said.

Cantley was unavailable for comment.

A fifth-year senior who was named Honorable Mention All-Big West Conference last year, the 6-foot-1-inch Cantley had been averaging seven points and 5.8 rebounds in 24 minutes in the 49ers' previous four games.

A medical redshirt is not an option, as Cantley used it up during the 1994-95 season after suffering a pre-season knee injury and underwent anterior cruciate ligament surgery in December.

She had been averaging 6.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks for her career.

But despite the loss of their leader, the 49ers (3-2) played nothing like the team that had agonizingly lost five straight years to the Trojans (5-3).

"[The loss of Cantley] affected us mentally but not physically," said Jackie Moore, the 6-foot-2-inch forward who scored a career-high 15 points along with nine rebounds.

Smith contributed a "double-double" of 18 points and 11 rebounds along with five blocks. Guard Reta Sula had 10 assists and nine points. Forward Kesha Wade added 13 points.

The Beach led the entire game, with 15- and 18-point runs in the first and second half, respectively.

USC did close the gap to seven points at halftime, 34-24, but could get no closer.

Both teams were equally plagued by turnovers, however, combining for 50.

"They outworked us all night," said USC Head Coach Chris Gobrecht. "We can't just show up and play. Those Long Beach kids leave with my respect."

The 49ers next game is at Portland State in Portland, Ore., on Dec. 11 at 7:05 p.m.