With second place in the SCC-North and a likely playoff berth on the line, SF Givon Crump scored 22 pts and grabbed 13 rebs to lead Pasadena to a 71-61 win over visiting East LA Wednesday night.
Though there are few guarantees, Pasadena (16-12, 7-5) clinched 2nd place in the SCC-North with the win and stands a good chance of earning its postseason berth since 2004 when the pairings are announced Sunday. And one guarantee is that the Lancers now stand a better chance than East LA since teams must be seeded in order of finish in the conference or division standings.
Crump and three other Lancers scored in double figures, and Pasadena led the entire second half. East LA (12-13, 5-7) trailed by just a point at the break and was within four points with just over four minutes to go, but Pasadena made 7 of 8 free throws in the last 1:41 to secure the win.
Pasadena scored the game's first five points and led by five again at 7-2. East LA answered with an 8-0 run to take a 10-7 lead on a 3-pointer by SF Deon Geary, and the lead went back and forth throughout the first half.
SG Marquise Tolson put Pasadena ahead with a slam dunk after a steal & pass from PG Jerrick Thomas with 1:10 left in the first half to give the Lancers a 32-31 lead at the break. And then Pasadena scored the first 10 points of the second half to take a 42-31 lead. A 3-point play by Crump, a lay-up by Thomas, a 3-pointer by SG Chris Smith and two more free throws by Crump gave Pasadena an 11-point lead with 14:58 to go.
East LA answered with a quick 8-0 spurt, getting back into the game on two jumpers by Geary, a basket by PF Robert Ponce on a pass from Geary and a short jumper from Ctr Rafael Morelos. That made it 42-39 with just under 13 minutes left.
But that would be as close as the Huskies would get. East LA still trailed by just four points at 57-53 with just over four minutes left, but Pasadena pushed the lead back to 9 at 62-53 when Ctr Laik Carter split two free throws with 2:29 left.
Smith made two free throws with 1:55 left to make it 64-53. Pasadena led by at least 9 points the rest of the way, and put the game away with more free throws. Thomas made two free throws with 1:41 left and two more with 1:17 left, and Crump made 3 of 4 after that to secure the victory for Pasadena.
Crump finished with his game-high totals of 22 pts and 13 rebs, taking advantage of 11 free throws, of which he made 9, all of which came in the second half. Smith had 14 pts and 4 asts before fouling out with 1:51 left. Thomas had 11 pts, 7 rebs, 7 asts, 3 steals and just one turnover, and Tolson had 10 pts, all in the first half. Pasadena held a commanding 46-28 rebounding edge and converted 81% of its 26 free throw opportunities.
Geary led East LA with 20 pts, and Morelos had 13. PG Mazen Harris Javier had a strong game with 10 pts, 5 asts and no turnovers.
box score
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 - 7:30 pm
at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium, Pasadena
South Coast Conference - North Division
East LA Huskies 61:
10-Mazen Harris Javier, PG - 2/6 fg, 4/4 ft, 2 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 10 pts
12-Gabriel Gamboa, SG - 0/1 fg, 1 reb, 1 pf, 0 pts
23-Deon Geary, SF - 5/12 fg, 8/12 ft, 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 20 pts
35-Robert Ponce, PF - 1/5 fg, 2/2 ft, 7 reb, 2 ast, 4 pts
42-Rafael Morelos, C - 6/13 fg, 1/3 ft, 4 reb, 3 ast, 2 blk, 1 stl, 4 pf, 13 pts
24-Fernando Morelos, F - 2/3 fg, 0/1 ft, 1 reb, 1 ast, 3 pf, 4 pts
4-Elson Vessel, G - 2/5 fg, 2/2 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 5 pf, 6 pts
44-Mark Torres, C - 0/2 fg, 2 reb, 2 pf, 0 pts
2-Albert Chavez, G - 2/4 fg, 1 reb, 4 pts
1-Terrell Robinson, G - 2 reb, 1 stl, 0 pts
11-Zack Ward, F - 0/1 fg, 1 pf, 0 pts
team rebounds: 3
Totals: 20/52 fg (.385), 17/24 ft (.708), 28 reb, 14 ast, 2 blk, 5 stl, 21 pf, 61 pts
3-pt fg (4): Javier 2, Geary 2
Fouled Out: Vessel 51.0 seconds left
Turnovers (13); Geary 3, R.Morelos 3, Gamboa 2, Vessel 2, F.Morelos, Chavez, team
Pasadena Lancers 71:
12-Jerrick Thomas, PG - 2/9 fg, 6/6 ft, 7 reb, 7 ast, 3 stl, 2 pf, 11 pts
20-Chris Smith, SG - 4/6 fg, 4/4 ft, 3 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 5 pf, 14 pts
22-Givon Crump, SF - 6/16 fg, 9/11 ft, 13 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 22 pts
33-Lorelle Martin, C - 2/4 fg, 1/1 ft, 3 reb, 4 pf, 5 pts
40-Laik Carter, PF - 3/6 fg, 1/2 ft, 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 5 pf, 7 pts
32-Alec Tatum, F - 1/1 fg, 7 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 2 pf, 2 pts
21-Rashard Smith, F - 0/4 fg, 0/2 ft, 3 reb, 1 pf, 0 pts
13-Marquise Tolson, G - 4/10 fg, 3 reb, 1 ast, 3 pf, 10 pts
team rebounds: 2
Totals: 22/56 fg (.393), 21/26 ft (.808), 46 reb, 17 ast, 2 blk, 5 stl, 25 pf, 71 pts
3-pt fg (6): C.Smith 2, Tolson 2, Thomas, Crump
Fouled Out: C.Smith 1:51 left, Carter 37.8 seconds left
Turnovers (16): Crump 5, Tolson 3, Martin 2, Carter 2, R.Smith 2, Thomas, C.Smith
Halftime Score: Pasadena 32, East LA 31
Updated Records: Pasadena 16-12 overall, 7-6 in SCC; East LA 12-13 overall, 5-7 in SCC
PCC scored the last basket of the 1st half and the 1st 10 points of the 2nd half for a 12-0 run and led the rest of the way. East LA got within 3 with just under 13 minutes left and within 4 with just over 4 minutes left but Thomas made 4 FTs and Crump made 3 FTs in the last 1:41 to clinch the win for Pasadena.
