The storybook playoff run for Coach John Smith's #19 seed Riverside Tigers continued Wednesday as RCC beat Orange Empire Conference rival #6 Saddleback, 50-41, to advance to the regional final.
After losing twice during the regular season to the Gauchos, including once just 12 days ago, Riverside held Saddleback to just 24% shooting for the night. And despite not having a single scorer reach double digits, RCC managed just enough offense to pull its third straight upset after also defeating #14 LA Harbor and #3 Mt. San Jacinto during this playoff season.
This was a game between two strong defensive teams that knew each other extremely well. The only uncontested shot that comes to mind was a backdoor pass from SG Aaron Brevard to PG Daren Hechanova midway through the second half, which came just before twof free throws by SF Darnell Taylor that gave the Gauchos what would be their final lead of the season at 23-22 with 11:37 left.
Then, over the next four-plus minutes, Riverside (17-10) went on an 11-2 run that proved decisive. Back-to-back 3-point baskets by SF Maurice Johns and SF Corey Walker gave the Tigers a 33-25 lead with 7:33 left in the game.
Saddleback (20-9) rallied to cut the deficit to two points when Ctr Alex Worthen-Harris took a pass from Taylor, scored and made the free throw to convert the three-point play. That made it 35-33 with 4:17 left in the game.
But Riverside put the game away the only way either team could consistently score in this one: free throws. The Tigers got two free throws from PG Mason Biddle and two more - out of four attempts - from PF Solomon Singer to make it 39-33. Then SG Dominique Lanier scored on a fast break on a pass from Singer with 1:51 left to break the 40-point barrier and made it 41-33.
Saddleback got a 3-pointer - its only three of the game - from PF Josiah Thropay to cut the deficit to five points at 41-36. But Riverside made 9 of 10 free throws in the final 1:31, with Biddle going 4-for-4, to clinch the win.
To say the first half was dominated by the defenses is to understate just how hard it was for either team to score. Riverside got the first points of the game on a 3-pointer by SF Bernard Ireland 2:23 into the game. Saddleback got two baskets from SG Everett Osborne to take a 4-3 lead after 4:45. Riverside tied the game on a basket by Ireland with 5:50 left in the first half that made it 9-9, meaning neither team had managed to reach double digits in more than 14 minutes of play.
The half ended 13-13, and Saddleback took a 17-13 lead on a putback basket by PF Josh Smith about two minutes into the second half and a coast-to-coast lay-up by Smith a few seconds later. That turned out to be Saddleback's largest lead of the game, however, and Riverside rallied to take an 18-17 lead on a 3-pointer by Ctr Jacob Straley about two minutes later and the lead went back and forth until RCC's decisive 11-2 run.
No player scored in double figures for Riverside, but eight different players scored at least one field goal. Lanier had 9 pts, 5 rebs and a game-high 4 asts. Biddle had 8 pts and Ireland had 7 pts and a team-high 7 rebs.
For Saddleback, Taylor led all scorers with 17 pts, including 13 of 14 free throws, but was the only Gaucho to score more than 4 points. Smith had 4 pts plus a game-high 10 rebs and added 3 blocks and 2 steals. Osborne had 4 pts and a team-high 3 asts.
With the win, Riverside advances to the regional final and will take on #7 Antelope Valley Saturday at 7 pm at Marauder Gym in Lancaster.
box score
Wednesday, February 29, 2012 - 7 pm
at Saddleback College, Mission Viejo
Regional Semifinal
Riverside Tigers 50:
0-Dominique Lanier, SG - 2/5 fg, 5/8 ft, 5 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 9 pts
3-Corey Walker, SF - 1/4 fg, 2/2 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 5 pts
5-Mason Biddle, PG - 1/5 fg, 6/6 ft, 3 reb, 1 blk, 2 stl, 3 pf, 8 pts
10-Solomon Singer, PF - 1/1 fg, 2/6 ft, 3 reb, 2 ast, 4 pf, 4 pts
22-Jacob Straley, C - 1/6 fg, 2/2 ft, 3 reb, 3 blk, 1 pf, 5 pts
21-Bernard Ireland, F - 3/9 fg, 7 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 pf, 7 pts
15-Stephan Shepherd, C - 2/2 fg, 3 reb, 4 pf, 4 pts
32-Maurice Johns, F - 3/6 fg, 1/2 ft, 2 reb, 3 pf, 8 pts
31-Harold Riley, F - 0/1 fg, 1 reb, 1 pf, 0 pts
30-Keenan Braden, F - 1 reb, 0 pts
team rebounds: 4
Totals: 14/39 fg (.359), 18/26 ft (.692), 34 reb, 9 ast, 4 blk, 4 stl, 17 pf, 50 pts
3-pt fg (4): Walker, Straley, Ireland, Johns
Turnovers (18): Biddle 4, Johns 4, Singer 3, Straley 2, Ireland 2, Walker, Shepherd, Riley
Saddleback Gauchos 41:
11-Miles Green, PG - 2/6 fg, 4 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 2 pf, 4 pts
13-Josh Smith, PF - 2/4 fg, 0/2 ft, 10 reb, 3 blk, 2 stl, 3 pf, 4 pts
23-Darnell Taylor, SF - 2/10 fg, 13/14 ft, 4 reb, 1 ast, 3 pf, 17 pts
25-Everett Osborne, SG - 2/7 fg, 2 reb, 3 ast, 2 pf, 4 pts
32-Alex Worthen-Harris, C - 1/8 fg, 2/3 ft, 8 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 4 pf, 4 pts
12-Kevin Smith, G - 0/1 fg, 1 pf, 0 pts
24-Aaron Brevard, G - 0/4 fg, 1 ast, 1 pf, 0 pts
34-Carlton Hayes, C - 1/2 fg, 1 reb, 1 stl, 1 pf, 2 pts
33-Daren Hechanova, G - 1/2 fg, 1 pf, 2 pts
20-Josiah Thropay, F - 1/2 fg, 1/2 ft, 3 pf, 4 pts
30-Nathan Marsing, G - 2 pf, 0 pts
21-Devin Golston, C - 0/4 fg, 3 reb, 0 pts
team rebounds: 3
Totals: 12/50 fg (.240), 16/21 ft (.762), 35 reb, 6 ast, 4 blk, 7 stl, 23 pf, 41 pts
3-pt fg (1): Thropay
Turnovers (15): Taylor 4, Worthen-Harris 3, K.Smith 2, Green, J.Smith, Brevard, Hayes, Marsing, team
Halftime Score: Tied at 13
Updated Records: Riverside (#19-seed) 17-10, Saddleback (#6-seed) 20-9
RCC went on an 11-2 run to lead, 33-25, with 7:25 left and made 9 of 10 FTs in the last 1:31 to hold on for the win.
