COLLEGES:

If ever an athlete transcended the sum of their parts, it would be Courtney Ford.

Seemingly hamstrung by a largely cylindrical body on a 5-foot-7 frame — better muscle definition can be found on some scarecrows — Ford became the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Orange Coast College women’s basketball program Saturday night with a 19-point performance in the Pirates’ 80-25 victory over Orange Empire Conference host Golden West.

Seemingly better-suited to play soccer goalie than two-guard, Ford eludes such stereotyping as easily as she spin-dribbles past the unsuspecting rivals assigned to guard her, a number that continues to grow along with her mind-numbing stats.

Despite thick fingers, small hands, as well as downright stubby arms and legs, Ford’s game is long on the attributes basketball aficionados typically associate with a sleeker package.

Ford, however, refuses to waste time with kinetic analysis. She is among those given to the sporting adage that it is not how, but how many.

Still, she said she has gained motivation from the whispers of doubt that often trail her frequent offensive forays as closely as her long black pony tail.

“It’s not really about size, it’s about heart,” said Ford, who is averaging 21.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.3 steals for the Pirates (19-3, 3-1 in conference), ranked No. 5 in Southern California and No. 10 in the state.

Heart, competitive drive and relentless energy are among the many tools with which Ford has cobbled together the most impressive career in OCC women’s basketball annals. They are also what have helped her build a foundation of respect that extends beyond OCC teammates and coaches to opposing players, coaches and others.

OCC Coach Mike Thornton calls Ford one of the most competitive players he has seen in his 19 seasons at the school.

With 10 regular-season games left, starting Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. against visiting Riverside, Ford has 1,131 career points (21.3 per game over 53 career outings). This was, of course, news to Ford, who was named Orange Empire Conference Player of the Year as a freshman.

“I never really keep tabs on anything,” Ford said. “I’m honored to have the career scoring record, but it’s not something that is going to go to my head. I’m just going to keep playing my game.”

Next season, Ford will bring her game to Mercer University in Georgia, where Coach Janell Jones, formerly at UC San Diego, countered widespread skepticism from her Division I coaching peers by offering Ford a scholarship.

“Sum” success story, indeed.

?The number 17 proved unlucky last week for three area college basketball teams.

The Orange Coast College women saw their 17-game Orange Empire Conference winning streak halted by a 68-56 setback at Fullerton on Wednesday.

The next night, the UC Irvine men’s team fell behind host UC Davis, 17-0, en route to a 74-57 Big West Conference loss at UC Davis.

Also Thursday, the UCI women burst to a 17-1 lead, only to see visiting Pacific rally for a 69-59 Big West triumph that gave the Anteaters their 10th straight loss. That streak is now 11 straight as Coach Molly Tuter’s squad enters Saturday’s conference clash at UC Riverside at 5 p.m.

?The current UCI women’s team’s 11-game losing skid is the longest the program has experienced since a 13-game slide that spanned the final four games of the 2003-04 season and the first nine of the 2004-05 campaign.

?The Vanguard University women’s basketball team (11-2, 7-0 in the Golden State Athletic Conference), ranked No. 3 in NAIA Division I, continues a streak of a more impressive nature, after a 91-71 thumping of host Azusa Pacific (14-3, 6-1), ranked No. 6, Saturday.

Coach Russ Davis’ Lions have now won 53 straight regular-season conference games. They will take that streak on the road again today, when they visit No. 7-ranked Point Loma Nazarene (12-2, 6-1) at 5:30 p.m.

Vanguard, however, will close out the season without the services of Marissa Rivera, a 6-foot-2 junior transfer from Texas Christian whom Davis considers one of the top centers in the nation.

Rivera injured her knee early in the year. It was believed she would return, but doctors have said otherwise.

?The Vanguard men’s basketball team also faces a big game tonight at 7:30 at Point Loma Nazarene. Coach Fred Litzenberger’s Lions are 11-4, 5-2 in the GSAC. They are tied for third in conference with No. 11-ranked Point Loma (14-3, 5-2).

No. 3-ranked Concordia (15-1, 6-1) and No. 15-ranked Cal Baptist (14-1, 6-1) are tied for first.

?While rules altering the ability of schools in mild-weather climates to open their college baseball seasons early take effect in the NCAA Division I ranks this season, no such restrictions are in place on the community college level.

Thus, Orange Coast College, with a roster including Corona del Mar High products Austin Elliott, a freshman, and Matt Hauser, a sophomore, opens its season with the first of a three-game nonconference series against Cuesta Friday at 2 p.m.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].