SF Kerry Carter had 17 pts and 7 asts, while PF Steven Thornton, Ctr Gregory Sequele and SG Terrell Todd scored 13 pts each for Citrus in a 77-68 win over Santa Monica in the WSC-South tournament Thursday in Santa Clarita.
In a showdown between the teams that tied for second place in the conference, Citrus (14-10) won for the second time in three games this season against the Corsairs (14-9).
Santa Monica took a 26-20 lead with just over 7 minutes left in the first half and led, 31-23, after a 3-point basket by PG Adam Griffin. Citrus closed the gap to a single point at 31-30 after a 3-pointer by Carter, but Santa Monica held a 41-36 lead at halftime.
Citrus took its first lead of the second half when Sequele scored on a putback slam to tie the score at 41 and drove to the basket for a lay-up moments later to put the Owls ahead, 43-41. A slam dunk by Thornton off a pass from Carter gave Citrus a 49-45 lead.
Santa Monica went back in front, 50-49, on a jumper by SG Keilan Horton. But then Citrus went on an 11-2 run to take a 60-52 lead. SF Jordan Mackie hit a 3-pointer to give the Owls a 52-50 advantage, and then Citrus pushed its lead to eight points after consecutive baskets by Ctr Brent Watkins made it 60-52.
Santa Monica rallied to get within two points at 68-66 after one final 3-pointer by Griffin, and had the ball back moments later. But a spectacular diving steal by Carter got Citrus the ball back, and moments later he converted an alley-oop pass from PG Darius Middleton to make it 72-66.
Moments later Sequele took a charge from PF David Nwaba on a very questionable call. Santa Monica coach Jerome Jenkins loudly questioned the call, and was assessed a technical foul; Todd made the two resulting free throws to make it 74-66. SF Damon Harvin hit a short jumper for the Corsairs to make it 74-68, but Todd answered with a 3-pointer that wrapped up the win for Citrus.
The CSUF-bound Carter finished with a team-high 17 pts and a game-high 7 asts despite battling foul trouble in the first half. Thornton and Sequele each added 13 pts and Todd came off the bench for 13 pts, including 3 threes, and 4 asts.
For Santa Monica, Griffin had a game-high 18 pts, including 4 threes. Nwaba filled the stat sheet as usual with 14 pts, 11 rebs, 3 asts, 2 blocks and 6 steals. Horton added 13 pts.
box score
WSC-South Conference Tournament Semifinal
at College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita
Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 5 pm
Santa Monica Corsairs 68:
1-Madison Higgins, SF - 4/10 fg, 1 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 8 pts
5-Adam Griffin, PG - 7/11 fg, 2 reb, 1 ast, 18 pts
10-Keilan Horton, SG - 5/10 fg, 3/4 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 13 pts
11-David Nwaba, PF - 4/7 fg, 6/10 ft, 11 reb, 3 ast, 2 blk, 6 stl, 2 pf, 14 pts
21-J'Ryon Moss, C - 3 reb, 2 pf, 0 pts
14-William Taylor, G - 0/2 fg, 0 pts
32-Admassu Williams, C - 1/1 fg, 3/3 ft, 2 reb, 3 pf, 5 pts
4-Michael Ratliff, F - 2/3 fg, 3 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 4 pts
35-Henry Anyanwu, F - 0/1 fg, 5 reb, 4 pf, 0 pts
12-Winfred Clark, G - 2/2 fg, 1 pf, 4 pts
15-Chase Thomas, F - 0 pts
22-Damon Harvin, F - 1/1 fg, 2 pts
team rebounds: 3
Totals: 26/48 fg (.542), 12/17 ft (.706), 32 reb, 10 ast, 2 blk, 10 stl, 15 pf, 68 pts
3-pt fg (4): Griffin 4
Technical Foul: Coach Jenkins
Turnovers (21): Horton 5, Griffin 4, Nwaba 4, Higgins 3, Williams 3, Clark, team
Citrus Owls 77:
3-Kerry Carter, SF - 7/15 fg, 1/2 ft, 5 reb, 7 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 17 pts
5-Steven Thornton, PF - 5/9 fg, 2/4 ft, 3 reb, 2 ast, 1 tsl, 3 pf, 13 pts
20-Gregory Sequele, C - 6/9 fg, 1/4 ft, 4 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 4 pf, 13 pts
30-Darius Middleton, PG - 2/5 fg, 1/3 ft, 1 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 5 pts
34-Therique Card, SG - 1/2 fg, 0/2 ft, 2 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 1 pf, 2 pts
10-Jordan Mackie, F - 2/7 fg, 1/2 ft, 5 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 6 pts
15-Terrell TJ Todd, G - 4/7 fg, 2/2 ft, 3 reb, 4 ast, 13 pts
50-Brent Watkins, C - 4/6 fg, 0/2 ft, 5 reb, 1 pf, 8 pts
32-Kumase DeMesma, G - 0 pts
23-Jevion Roland, G - 0/1 fg, 1 stl, 0 pts
team rebounds: 4
Totals: 31/61 fg (.508), 8/21 ft (.381), 32 reb, 25 ast, 0 blk, 7 stl, 16 pf, 77 pts
3-pt fg (7): Todd 3, Carter 2, Thornton, Mackie
Turnovers (15): Mackie 4, Carter 2, Sequele 2, Middleton 2, Card 2, Thornton, Todd, Watkins
Halftime Score: Santa Monica 41, Citrus 36
Updated Records: Citrus 14-10, Santa Monica 14-9
Santa Monica led 31-23 in the 1st half. Citrus took a 43-41 lead, but SMC went back in front, 49-45.
Citrus went on a 15-3 run to lead 60-52 and led the rest of the way.
Todd's 3-pointer with 50 seconds left made it 77-68 and clinched the win for Citrus.
