PG Omari Johnson had a game-high 22 pts as San Diego City (3-6) held off a late rally by LA Pierce (0-6) and won, 64-59, in the first round of the Wells Fargo Holiday Tournament Wednesday evening at Riverside College.
SD City led most of the way, and opened a 20-point lead at 50-30 midway through the second half, but saw most of that lead disappear in the final minutes. Pierce SF Myon Sample did his best Reggie Miller impression, scoring 9 of his team-high 13 pts in the last minute to bring the Brahmas to within 4 points at 63-59 with 8.4 seconds remaining. But moments later, Sample fouled out and Johnson made his second free throw (in four attempts) in the final 16.8 seconds to secure the win for the Knights.
Pierce led 10-8 in the early going, but SD City scored the games next 8 points to take a 16-10 lead. The margin reached 10 late in the half at 27-17 and the Knights led, 29-19, at the break. A three by Ctr Wais Mahamoud with just over 13 minutes remaining gave City its largest lead at 50-30.
Johnson led the way for City with 22 pts, 4 rebs, 3 asts and 3 steals. SG Jesse LeBeau added 13 pts, including 3 threes, and a team-high 4 asts. Mahamoud chipped in with 8 pts, 7 rebs, 3 blocks and 2 steals.
For Pierce, Sample and PF Santiago Moreno each had 13 pts. Ctr Michael Mahlum had 12 pts and a game-high 9 rebs.
box score
Wednesday, December 5, 2007 5 pm
Wells Fargo Holiday Tournament @ Riverside CC
First Round
LA Pierce Brahmas 59:
1-Tony Trujillo, PG 1/8 fg, 3/4 ft, 2 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 6 pts
3-Danielle St. Hubert, SG 2/3 fg, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 1 pf, 5 pts
21-Michael Mahlum, C 4/10 fg, 2/3 ft, 9 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk, 1 stl, 1 pf, 12 pts
23-Myon Sample, SF 6/11 fg, 1 reb, 4 stl, 5 pf, 13 pts
55-Santiago Moreno, PF 6/7 fg, 1/1 ft, 3 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 3 pf, 13 pts
20-Elan Williams, F 0/5 fg, 1/2 ft, 2 reb, 0 pts
2-Tyler Powell, G 1/3 fg, 1 reb, 1 ast, 2 pf, 3 pts
4-D.J. Denson, G 0/3 fg, 2/3 ft, 3 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 1 pf, 2 pts
15-Nikola Marojevic, F 0/2 ft, 1 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 0 pts
24-Justin Cubias, C 1/3 fg, 2/4 ft, 8 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk, 2 pf, 4 pts
33-Mike Rojas, F 0/3 fg, 3 reb, 1 ast, 3 pf, pts
team rebounds: 6
Totals: 21/56 fg (.375), 11/19 ft (.579), 41 reb, 15 ast, 6 blk, 11 stl, 18 pf, 59 pts
3-pt fg (6): Mahlum 2, Trujillo, St. Hubert, Sample, Powell
Fouled Out: Sample 7.2 seconds left
Turnovers (21): Williams 4, Sample 3, St. Hubert 2, Moreno 2, Powell 2, Marojevic 2, Rojas 2, Trujillo, Mahlum, Denson, Cubias
San Diego City Knights 64:
1-Omari Johnson, PG 8/15 fg, 4/7 ft, 4 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl, 2 pf, 22 pts
5-Jesse LeBeau, SG 5/8 fg, 2 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 4 pf, 13 pts
13-Kenji Hilke, PF 2/2 fg, 1/2 ft, 6 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 3 pf, 5 pts
22-Wais Mahamoud, C 3/11 fg, 7 reb, 1 ast, 3 blk, 2 stl, 1 pf, 8 pts
24-Shaun Williams, SF 1/6 fg, 1/2 ft, 2 reb, 3 stl, 1 pf, 3 pts
2-Nehemiah Simpkins, G 2/5 fg, 4 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 1 pf, 5 pts
21-Sean Douglas, C 1/3 fg, 0/1 ft, 1 pf, 2 pts
40-Arcelon Osbourne, F 3/6 fg, 0/2 ft, 7 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 3 pf, 6 pts
4-Deandre Matthews, G 0/2 fg, 3 reb, 2 ast, 1 pf, 0 pts
32-Mike Berarinelli, F 0/1 fg, 1 pf, 0 pts
10-Andrew Cooper, G 0 pts
45-Carleton Coleman, C 1 blk, 1 pf, 0 pts
team rebounds: 3
Totals: 25/59 fg (.424), 6/14 ft (.429), 38 reb, 14 ast, 5 blk, 13 stl, 19 pf, 64 pts
3-pt fg (8): LeBeau 3, Johnson 2, Mahamoud 2, Simpkins
Turnovers (21): Williams 5, LeBeau 4, Mahamoud 3, Osbourne 3, Johnson 2, Simpkins 2, Cooper, Coleman
Halftime Score: SD City 29, LA Pierce 19
Updated Records: SD City 3-6, LA Pierce 0-6
