SG Alex Cabagnot helped LA Valley (24-7, 8-2 in WSC-South)build a double-digit lead, and then the Monarchs barely held off a frantic rally by Santa Monica (16-13, 6-4) to win and take control of their own destiny in the WSC-South race.
Cabagnot scored 12 of his 17 pts in the first half as LAVC built a 41-29 lead at the break. The Monarchs shot a healthy 48% from the field in the first half while holding Santa Monica to 35% and forcing 15 Corsair turnovers.
LA Valley still held a double-digit lead well into the second half when star Ctr Midwin Francis picked up his 4th foul of the game. Before they could sub for him, Francis picked up his 5th foul moments later. At that point, LAVC led, 56-43.
Valley still led 66-57 with just over 2 minutes left when Santa Monica inserted backup SG Raleigh Harper into the game. On his first touch, an inbounds play, Harper knocked down a 3-pointer to bring SMCC to within 6 at 66-60.
A pair of FTs by Cabagnot and a single FT by Santa Monica's Ctr Bryan Jolly left the score 68-61 until Harper drained another three to make it 68-64 with 1:12 to play. After a defensive stop by Santa Monica, a FT by SF Eric Norcross cut the deficit to 68-65 with 32 seconds left.
PF Javon Anderson knocked down a pair of FTs to make it 70-65 with 21 seconds left, but SMCC wasn't finished yet. On their next possession, Harper was fouled attempting a 3-pointer. He made all 3 FTs, cutting LAVC's lead to 70-68 with 13 seconds left.
This time Santa Monica fouled SF Montell Duhon, who made both FTs, making it 72-68 with 11 seconds left.
But again, Santa Monica rallied on a 3-pointer by PF Morgan Smith. That cut the lead to a single point at 72-71 with 3 seconds remaining. As soon as Valley inbounded the ball to SG Kenneth Eatmon, he was fouled.
Despite a pair of SMCC timeouts, Eatmon calmly drained both FTs, making it 74-71 with 2 seconds left. Santa Monica had one last chance to tie, but Norcross' 35-footer at the buzzer bounced off the rim, allowing LA Valley to escape with the win.
Duhon led all scorers with 19 pts (on 7/12 shooting) and also had 5 asts. Cabagnot finished with 17 pts and 5 asts. PF Javon Anderson had a huge game with 8 pts and a game-high 12 rebs.
For Santa Monica, Jolly led the way with 15 pts on 6/9 shooting. SF Ronald Eskridge had his usual high-energy performance and finished with 11 pts and 10 rebs. SG Marko Mihailovic had 13 pts and 3 asts despite missing much of the second half with foul trouble. PG Eric Jones had 4 pts, 4 asts and 3 steals. Norcross had 10 pts and 4 rebs off the bench.
With the win, LA Valley moves to 8-2 in the division and will win the WSC-South title for the 4th straight year if they beat Bakersfield and Canyons this week.
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Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 5:30 pm
at LA Valley College, Valley Glen
WSC-South
Santa Monica Corsairs 71:
5-Marko Mihailovic, SG - 2/7 fg, 8/10 ft, 5 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 13 pts
21-Bryan Jolly, C - 6/9 fg, 3/8 ft, 6 reb, 2 blk, 2 stl, 15 pts
22-Todd Corley, PG - 4/5 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 4 pts
32-Ronald Eskridge, SF - 3/8 fg, 5/8 ft, 10 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 11 pts
33-Morgan Smith, PF - 1/4 fg, 1/2 ft, 1 reb, 3 ast, 2 blk, 2 stl, 4 pts
14-Eric Norcross, F - 3/10 fg, 2/4 ft, 4 reb, 2 blk, 1 stl, 10 pts
15-Eric Jones, G - 2/5 fg, 1 reb, 4 ast, 1 blk, 3 stl, 4 pts
1-Jun Nakanishi, G - 1/2 ft, 1 ast, 1 pt
24-Raleigh Harper, SG - 2/2 fg, 3/3 ft, 9 pts
team rebounds: 7
Totals: 19/45 fg (.422), 27/42 ft (.643), 36 reb, 15 ast, 7 blk, 13 stl, 71 pts
3-pt fg (6): Norcross 2, Harper 2, Mihailovic, Smith
Turnovers (21): Mihailovic 4, Norcross 4, Jolly 3, Corley 3, Eskridge 2, Smith 2, Jones 2, Nakanishi
LA Valley Monarchs 74:
10-Alex Cabagnot, SG - 5/12 fg, 4/5 ft, 3 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 17 pts
12-Carlos Rivers, PG - 2/7 fg, 1/2 ft, 4 reb, 5 ast, 6 pts
24-Montell Duhon, SF - 7/12 fg, 2/2 ft, 2 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 19 pts
31-Javon Anderson, PF - 3/12 fg, 2/2 ft, 12 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 3 stl, 8 pts
33-Midwin Francis, C - 2/7 fg, 5/6 ft, 5 reb, 2 blk, 3 stl, 9 pts
22-Curtis Isom, G - 1 ast, 0 pts
23-DaShawn Strong, F - 1/3 fg, 3/4 ft, 3 reb, 1 stl, 5 pts
35-Earl Felix, F - 0/1 fg, 3 reb, 0 pts
4-Kenneth Eatmon, G - 2/7 fg, 2/2 ft, 1 reb, 1 stl, 8 pts
45-Vincent Cofield, C - 1/2 fg, 6 reb, 2 pts
team rebounds: 1
Totals: 23/63 fg (.365), 19/23 ft (.826), 40 reb, 17 ast, 3 blk, 12 stl, 74 pts
3-pt fg (9): Cabagnot 3, Duhon 3, Eatmon 2, Rivers
Fouled Out: Francis 11:52 left
Turnovers (19): Rivers 6, Cabagnot 2, Duhon 2, Francis 2, Isom 2, Felix 2, Anderson, Eatmon, Cofield
Halftime Score: LAVC 41, SMCC 29
Updated Records: LAVC 24-7 (8-2), SMCC 16-13 (6-4)
LAVC led 56-43 when Francis fouled out - he picked up his 5th foul 42 secs after his 4th and before they could sub him out. Harper helped SMCC rally from 57-66 but key FTs by Anderson, Duhon and Eatmon helped LAVC hold on. Norcross' potential game-tying 35-footer at the buzzer bounced off the rim.
