PG Murat Yildiz scored 11 of his game-high 25 pts in overtime to lead the College of the Canyons Cougars to a 71-69 win over Bakersfield in Valencia. Yildiz scored all but 2 of COC’s pts in the extra session and also helped the Cougars rally from a 9-point deficit in the final 6 minutes of regulation to even their record at 14-14. Bakersfield is now also 14-14 after the loss.
The first half was a terrible one for COC as they shot just 22% from the floor and committed 14 turnovers. Bakersfield led by as many as 11 (at 26-15), largely on the strength of SF Garrett Brown’s outside shooting. Brown hit 5 of his 6 threes on the night in the first half, and despite a late Cougar rally the Gades led at the break, 26-20.
But things changed after halftime. The Cougars shot 55% after intermission and committed just 2 more turnovers (and none in OT). SG Matt Nelsen hit 3 straight shots early in the 2nd half to allow COC to rally and tie the game at 32. PF Rico Suazo helped COC build a 5-point lead at 39-34, but then the Cougars’ shots stopped falling and Bakersfield went on a run. COC went nearly 10 minutes without a FG, which allowed Bakersfield to take a 52-43 lead with under 6 minutes left in regulation.
Then the Canyons rallied. SF Dax Grooms’ 3-point play tied the score at 55 with 1:43 left. Bakersfield took a 57-55 lead on a FG by PG Cody Victor with 1:11 left, but Grooms evened the score again on a driving layup with 1:03 to go. Each team had free throws in the final minute of regulation, but both Yildiz and Victor were able to make just 1 of 2 and the score remained tied at 58. Yildiz had a chance to win it in regulation, but his 18-footer bounced off the rim at the buzzer.
Then in overtime, Yildiz took over. The only basket he didn't score was the one that put COC ahead for good, a driving layup by reserve F Carlos Escoto on a feed from Nelsen with 37 secs left. Yildiz then hit 3 of 4 FTs down the stretch to seal the win for the Cougars.
Yildiz led all scorers with 25 pts and added 6 assists. Suazo had yet another double-double with 13 pts and a game-high 17 rebs. Nelsen added 19 pts including 3 threes. For Bakersfield, Brown topped the scoring list with 18 pts, all on threes. PF Torrey Harper grabbed 13 rebs and tallied 9 pts. PG James Green had a game-best 7 assists to go with 6 pts and 6 rebs. SF Johnny Wiley had a strong game for Bakersfield with 16 pts and 8 rebs. Victor tossed in 15 pts off the bench. But the Gades were hurt by their poor free throw shooting—they shot just 48% from the line and missed 4 FTs in the final minute of regulation and OT.
Unofficial Box Score:
Wednesday, February 13, 2002
at the Cougar Cage (COC), Valencia
Western State Conference
Bakersfield Renegades 69:
30-James Coward, C – 1/1 fg, 2 reb, 2 pts
32-Garrett Brown, SG – 6/15 fg, 4 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 18 pts
44-Johnny Wiley, SF – 6/10 fg, 4/5 ft, 8 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 16 pts
52-Torrey Harper, PF – 3/6 fg, 3/7 ft, 13 reb, 9 pts
50-James Green, PG – 2/7 fg, 1/ 2 ft, 6 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl, 6 pts
40-Bryson Ghoulston, F – 1/6 fg, 1/ 2 ft, 5 reb, 1 stl, 3 pts
34-Cody Victor, G – 6/16 fg, 3/7 ft, 3 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 15 pts
42-Jon Fulmer, G – 0/2 fg, 0/2 ft, 1 reb, 1 blk, 0 pts
team rebounds: 7
Totals: 25/63 fg (.397), 49 reb, 15 ast, 1 blk, 8 stl, 69 pts
3-pt fg (7): Brown 6, Green
Turnovers (19): Green 6, Victor 4, Harper 3, Coward 2, Wiley 2, Brown, Fulmer
College of the Canyons Cougars 71:
12-Murat Yildiz, PG – 7/10 fg, 10/14 ft, 2 reb, 6 ast, 2 stl, 25 pts
23-Matt Nelsen, SG – 7/21 fg, 2/2 ft, 2 ast, 1 blk, 19 pts
32-Dax Grooms, SF – 3/14 fg, 3/6 ft, 8 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 9 pts
33-Rico Suazo, PF – 5/6 fg, 3/6 ft, 17 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 13 pts
42-David Hungerford, C – 0/2 fg, 1 reb, 0 pts
11-DeWayne Taylor, G – 0/4 fg, 3 reb, 1 ast, 0 pts
30-Carlos Escoto, F – 2/3 fg, 1/3 ft, 3 reb, 2 ast, 5 pts
40-Krishna Evans, C – 0 pts
team rebounds: 6
Totals: 24/60 fg (.400), 19/31 ft (.613), 40 reb, 16 ast, 1 blk, 4 stl, 71 pts
3-pt fg (4): Nelsen 3, Yildiz
Turnovers (16): Yildiz 4, Nelsen 3, Escoto 3, Grooms 2, Taylor 2, Hungerford, Escoto
Halftime Score: Bakersfield 26, Canyons 20
End of Regulation: Tied at 58
Updated Records: Both teams are now 14-14 (no wonder it went to OT).
Yildiz scored 11 of COC’s 13 pts in OT. The other basket came on a layup by Escoto on a feed by Nelsen to break a 66-66 tie with 37 secs left. After a BC miss, Suazo grabbed the rebound and got the ball to Yildiz, who was fouled. He made 2 FTs to make it 70-66 with 14 secs left. After a miss by Brown, Green got the rebound and nailed a three to make it 70-69 with 6 secs left. The ball was inbounded to Yildiz, who was fouled with 3 secs left. He made the first FT and missed the second, and Wiley got the rebound but BC was out of timeouts and was unable to get off a final shot.
It was a tale of 2 halves for COC – 22% shooting + 14 turns in 1st half but 55% shooting and only 2 turnovers after halftime. The many missed FTs hurt Bakersfield.
