Four players scored in double digits for Chaffey as the Panthers turned a much-anticipated showdown between local rivals into a thorough rout with a 78-48 win over Citrus in the final game of the 2013 Neil Edwards Classic Sunday in Glendora.
The schools are separated by just 20 miles along the 210 freeway, but the gulf between them seemed as large as the Grand Canyon Sunday. Chaffey started the game with a 10-0 run, pushed the lead to as astounding 22 points after an 17-0 run later in the half and handed Citrus one of the most one-sided losses in its current era.
The "modern" era for Citrus began in 2005 with the hiring of coach Rick Croy; the Owls won the 2008 state championship and have been a perennial contender ever since. Croy and much of that early staff, including assistants Josh Dunaj, Hardy Aprilla and Joey Wellman, all now at Cal Baptist, as well as current Citrus head coach Chris Victor were on hand Sunday to see the Owls take on their longtime regional rivals.
But this one was hardly a contest, right from the beginning. Chaffey (8-2) jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first five-plus minutes as the Owls missed their first 7 shots from the floor, their first 2 shots from the lin and sprinkled in 4 turnovers in falling behind.
Citrus (4-2) finally showed signs of life after that with a basket by Ctr Chris Reyes and a pair of threes by SF John Roach to not only get on the board but cut the deficit to five points at 13-8.
But then Chaffey PF Jeff Nibo drove through the paint and threw down a most emphatic slam-dunk as several astounded Owls watched from far below, under the basket. The jam brought the Chaffey bench to its feet and caused a buzz throughout the gym.
And it also sparked an 18-0 run as the game quickly became a rout. SF Devyn Sampson pushed the lead back to double digits with a 3-pointer and added a lay-up to make it 20-8. Ctr Adom Jacko scored inside and made a pair of free throws. SG Andre Wilson hit a baseline jumper, PG Breejay Flonnoy made a pair of free throws and PF Roderick Evans-Taylor scored on a fast break.
By then, the score was 30-8 as Citrus made just 3 of its first 21 shots in those first 15 minutes of the game. It never really got any closer. It was 40-14 at the end of the first half, and Chaffey led easily the rest of the way. A basket by PG Julian Nichols off a pass from Nibo early in the second half made it 48-18 and after that it was just a matter of letting the clock run out.
The Chaffey attack was remarkably diversified, with four player scoring in double digits and nobody taking more than 8 field goal attempts, yet the Panthers shot a sizzling 59% from the floor. Sampson had 12 pts, and SF John Gilliam had 11 pts and a game-high 9 rebs. Nichols had 10 pts and a game-high 9 asts, and Jacko also had 10 pts. Nibo had 9 pts, 3 asts and the dunk of the day. Evans-Taylor had 8 pts and Wilson had 7.
For Citrus, as bad as it was, it could easily have been even worse if not for some nice shooting by Roach, who led all scorers with 20 pts including 4 three-pointers. PF Danny Cheek had 11 pts, and though they all came in the second half it is worth noting that he continued to play hard despite the hopelessness of the situation. But the rest of the Owls combined to make just 4 baskets.
Nichols, who had a triple-double against LA Pierce on Saturday, was named to the all-tournament team from Chaffey. Reyes, who had 20 pts and 14 rebs Saturday in a win over Sierra, was named to the all-tournament team from Citrus.
box score
2013 Neil Edwards Tournament
Sunday, December 1st @ Citrus College - 4 pm
Chaffey Panthers 78:
1-Adom Jacko, C - 4/5 fg, 2/2 ft, 2 ast, 1 blk, 2 stl, 3 pf, 10 pts
5-Roderick Evans-Taylor, PF - 4/8 fg, 5 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 1 pf, 8 pts
10-Julian Nichols, PG - 4/6 fg, 2/4 ft, 4 reb, 9 ast, 1 blk, 3 stl, 10 pts
11-John Gilliam, SF - 4/6 fg, 3/4 ft, 9 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 1 pf, 11 pts
32-Andre Wilson, SG - 3/5 fg, 2 reb, 2 stl, 3 pf, 7 pts
14-Pape Seck, C - 1/2 fg, 1 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 3 pf, 2 pts
24-Devyn Sampson, F - 4/7 fg, 2/2 ft, 6 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 2 pf, 12 pts
35-Jeffrey Nibo, F - 3/7 fg, 2/4 ft, 1 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 3 pf, 9 pts
4-Breejae Flonnoy, G - 0/1 fg, 3/4 ft, 3 ast, 2 pf, 3 pts
34-Tyler Shea, C - 2/2 fg, 3 reb, 1 stl, 3 pf, 4 pts
25-Mufaro Murinda, F - 0/1 fg, 1 pf, 0 pts
44-Godfrey Freeman, C - 1/1 fg, 2 pts
team rebounds: 5
Totals: 30/51 fg (.588), 14/20 ft (.700), 36 reb, 21 ast, 2 blk, 18 stl, 22 pf, 78 pts
3-pt fg (4): Sampson 2, Wilson, Nibo
Technical Fouls: Evans-Taylor, Nibo
Turnovers (23): Nichols 5, Nibo 4, Evans-Taylor 3, Gilliam 3, Wilson 3, Jacko 2, Seck, Flonnoy, Shea
Citrus Owls 48:
3-Justin Childress, PG - 0/1 fg, 2 stl, 3 pf, 0 pts
5-Therique Card, SG - 1/3 fg, 4 reb, 1 ast, 2 pf, 2 pts
12-Daniel Cheek, PF - 5/17 fg, 5 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 3 pf, 11 pts
23-Chris Reyes, C - 2/6 fg, 3/6 ft, 3 reb, 3 pf, 7 pts
30-John Roach, SF - 4/10 fg, 8/9 ft, 1 ast, 2 stl, 3 pf, 20 pts
15-Rohjon Brett, F - 0/2 fg, 3 reb, 2 pf, 0 pts
10-Dominique Walker, G - 0/3 fg, 1/6 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 pt
20-Jordan Jefferson, G - 1/3 fg, 4/6 ft, 2 reb, 1 ast, 2 pf, 6 pts
14-Steven Polee Jr., F - 0/1 fg, 1 ast, 1 blk, 2 pf, 0 pts
32-Edgardo Campos, C - 4 reb, 1 ast, 0 pts
34-Shaquille Barker, G - 0/2 fg, 1/2 ft, 2 ast, 2 pf, 1 pt
team rebounds: 6
Totals: 13/48 fg (.271), 17/29 ft (.586), 29 reb, 10 ast, 1 blk, 6 stl, 22 pf, 48 pts
3-pt fg (5): Roach 4, Cheek
Technical Foul: Brett
Turnovers (25): Jefferson 7, Card 5, Roach 4, Cheek 3, Reyes 2, Childress, Brett, Polee, Barker
Halftime Score: Chaffey 40, Citrus 14
Updated Records: Chaffey 8-2, Citrus 4-2
Chaffey led 30-8 after an 17-0 run. Citrus shot 4/24 with 12 turns in the 1st half.
Nichols (Chaffey) and Reyes (Citrus) were named to the All-Tournament team.
