The Citrus machine continued to roll as the Owls got 28 pts (6 threes) from SF Buchi Awaji and a double-double from UC Irvine-bound SG Darren Moore in a workmanlike 92-74 victory over LA Valley Saturday night in Glendora.
It was the 15th straight win for the Owls (27-1, 9-0), who have already set a school record for wins in a season and are on the brink of their first-ever WSC-South division championship.
Citrus never trailed, opening up a 20-6 lead in the opening minutes of the game and led the rest of the way. Valley briefly drew to within 7 points midway through the second half and got back to within 9 points with 3:40 left, but never really threatened.
Ctr Richard Frohlich began the game with a basket to give the Owls a 2-0 lead. PG Gino Riney tied the game for Valley with a steal and basket, but then Citrus went on an 18-4 run to take the 20-6 lead.
Citrus led by as many as 15 in the first half after a putback basket by Ctr Troy Payne made it 45-30. Valley cut that lead to 11 late in the half, but a tip-in by Frohlich just before the halftime buzzer made it 51-38 Owls at the break.
In the second half, Citrus maintained a double-digit lead until a free throw by Valley SF Ron Holden brought the Monarchs to within 9 at 64-55. Then SF Chris Horstman scored on a scoop shot to make it 64-57.
But that would be as close as Valley would get. A three by Awaji restored the Owls' 10-point lead, and then a baseline drive by Moore made it 69-57.
The Monarchs made one last rally, cutting the margin to 9 at 79-70 on a Riney 3-pointer with 3:40 left. But then jumpers by PG Virgil Buensuceso and PF Ralph Monday pushed Citrus' lead back to 13 at 83-70.
Late in the game, Valley tried to foul in order to get back in the game, but Citrus made 9 of 10 free throws in the last 2:03 to seal the win. PF Jeremy Smith made 3 of 4 free throws, while Buensuceso, Monday and Moore made 2 each down the stretch.
For Citrus, Awaji, a frontrunner for SoCal Player of the Year honors, led all scorers with 28 pts, including 6 threes, and had 6 rebs. Moore had 21 pts and a game-high 12 rebs. Payne flirted with a double-double, finishing with 8 pts and 9 rebs, while Buensuceso had a solid game with 8 pts, 5 asts and no turnovers.
For Valley, Riney led the way with 20 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts and 2 steals. Horstman came off the bench to score 15 pts and Holden added 11. PF Demetrius Malone just missed a double-double with 9 pts and a team-high 10 rebs.
The Monarchs were a bit shorthanded as SG Germel Coleman and Ctr Shaun Johnson both missed the game due to team suspensions. They are expected back next week.
With the win, Citrus runs its winning streak to 15 games and boasts a sparkling 27-1 overall record. With last week's COA #1-ranked Irvine Valley losing two games this past week, the Owls would seem to be in line for the school's first-ever #1 ranking.
The loss drops Valley to 16-9 overall and 5-4 in WSC-South play.
box score
Saturday, February 9, 2008 – 7:30 pm
at The Owls’ Nest, Citrus College, Glendora
WSC-South
LA Valley Monarchs 74:
3-Demetrius Malone, PF – 3/8 fg, 3/9 ft, 10 reb, 1 ast, 4 pf, 9 pts
21-Ron Holden, SF – 4/10 fg, 3/4 ft, 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 11 pts
24-Codie Kemp, SG – 3/5 fg, 1/1 ft, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 7 pts
32-Gino Riney, PG – 8/15 fg, 1/2 ft, 5 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 3 pf, 20 pts
44-Joey Street, C – 2/4 fg, 3 reb, 2 blk, 1 pf, 4 pts
33-Chris Horstman, F – 6/10 fg, 1/4 ft, 3 reb, 1 stl, 2 pf, 15 pts
40-Chris Lenik, F – 1/3 fg, 3 reb, 2 ast, 3 pf, 2 pts
12-Bo Bennett, G – 1/8 fg, 4/8 ft, 2 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 4 pf, 6 pts
team rebounds: 2
Totals: 28/63 fg (.444), 13/28 ft (.464), 35 reb, 13 ast, 2 blk, 6 stl, 23 pf, 74 pts
3-pt fg (5): Riney 3, Horstman 2
Technical Foul: Malone
Turnovers (16): Bennett 5, Malone 3, Riney 3, Lenik 2, Holden, Kemp, Horstman
Citrus Owls 92:
3-Virgil JR Buensuceso, PG – 3/9 fg, 2/2 ft, 2 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 8 pts
14-Jeremy Smith, PF – 0/3 fg, 3/4 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 2 pf, 3 pts
15-Darren Moore, SG – 7/12 fg, 5/6 ft, 12 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 4 pf, 21 pts
25-Buchi Awaji, SF – 10/19 fg, 2/2 ft, 6 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 pf, 28 pts
44-Richard Frohlich, C – 3/6 fg, 1/2 ft, 7 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 1 pf, 7 pts
12-Steven Bennett, G – 1/2 fg, 1 reb, 6 ast, 2 stl, 2 pts
30-Troy Payne, C – 4/8 fg, 9 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 1 pf, 8 pts
20-A.J. Gasporra, F – 1/4 fg, 2/3 ft, 3 reb, 1 ast, 3 stl, 5 pf, 4 pts
23-Ralph Monday, F – 1/5 fg, 2/2 ft, 5 reb, 1 blk, 3 pf, 4 pts
5-Nate Richardson, G – 2/6 fg, 2/2 ft, 1 ast, 2 pf, 6 pts
40-A.J. Greenwood, F – 0 pts
10-Kelly Johnson, G – 1/2 ft, 2 reb, 1 pf, 1 pt
team rebounds: 5
Totals: 32/74 fg (.432), 20/25 ft (.800), 54 reb, 20 ast, 4 blk, 11 stl, 22 pf, 92 pts
3-pt fg (8): Awaji 6, Moore 2
Technical Foul: Monday
Turnovers (17): Awaji 4, Smith 2, Moore 2, Richardson 2, Johnson 2, Frohlich, Bennett, Payne, Gasporra, team
Halftime Score: Citrus 51, LA Valley 38
Updated Records: Citrus (#2-South, #3-Calif) 27-1, 9-0 in WSC-S; LA Valley (#7-South, #14-Calif) 16-9, 5-4 in WSC-S
Note: Germel Coleman & Shaun Johnson (LAVC) dnp – team suspensions
