#10 Antelope Valley (13-6, 2-2 in conference) overcame a slow start and got a big lift from the return of SF Deonte Huff and posted an 81-73 win over visiting Rio Hondo (8-9, 1-3) Saturday afternoon in Lancaster. Huff played his first game since December 27th, when he partially tore the MCL in his knee.
SF Glenn Gilliard led AVC with 16 pts and Ctr Brandon Murray posted a double-double with 11 pts and 13 rebs. But it was the bench, led by Huff’s 14 pts and 9 rebs, that brought AVC back from an early 15-4 deficit. And when Rio Hondo made just 4 of 22 shots over the first 13 minutes of the second half, AVC was able to pull away and post the win.
Early on, it looked like AVC was in for a long day. Rio Hondo SF Anthony Kimble banked home a 3-pointer to start things off, and PG Tony Langston made a steal and layup to put the Roadrunners ahead, 5-0, just 1:18 into the game. The next few minutes weren’t any better for the home squad as SG Jabir Jinna knocked down a pair of threes and Langston made a pair of FTs to make it 15-4.
At that point, AVC Coach Newton Chelette pulled his entire starting lineup off the floor. The starters were a combined 1-for-8 with 3 turnovers to that point, resulting in the early 11-point deficit.
And the reserves quickly turned things around. PF Curtis McHenry scored a basket and made a steal that led to another basket by PG Tyme Hodges to start things off. Then SG Joseph Dickson made a three to cut the margin to 5 at 17-12. The Roadrunners still led by 5 at 24-19 when the starters came back in.
This time, they were ready to play. A three by Gilliard and a putback by Murray quickly tied the game at 24, and a three by PG Tyronne Miller a few moments later gave AVC it’s first lead of the game at 27-25. Putback baskets by PF Tommy Harris and Gilliard pushed AVC’s lead to 31-26, and a three by Gilliard later pushed the lead to 8 at 38-30.
A final first-half flurry by Rio Hondo cut into the lead, and after Langston’s three in the final seconds AVC led by just a point at 39-38. And when the second half started, Harris scored on a nice feed from SG Carlton Clay for AVC, but Kimble answered back for Rio Hondo with a three (no backboard this time) to tie the game at 41. Another three, a 2-point basket and a pair of free throws by Langston helped Rio Hondo built a 48-45 lead.
But then Rio Hondo went cold, allowing Antelope Valley to take a commanding lead. A pair of threes by Gilliard made it 55-48, and Gilliard continued the run with a putback basket to make it 57-48. Then Dickson scored on a driving layup, Huff made 4 FTs and PF Robert Hughes scored after rebounding his own miss to push AVC’s lead to 16 at 67-51. At that point, Rio Hondo was shooting 18% (4-for-22) from the floor.
SG Jino LaBomme finally broke the drought with a three, and he almost singlehandedly kept the game close. He and Langston followed that with threes to cut the margin to 70-62, and LaBomme made yet another three to cut the deficit to just 6 at 71-65.
But then Miller made a three for AVC to push their lead back to 9. LaBomme made another three to cut the margin back to 6 at 75-69, but by then less than a minute remained in the game. Murray and Miller each made a pair of free throws in the final minute to secure the win for AVC. Miller finished the game with 10 pts, 5 rebs and no turnovers in a solid performance.
LaBomme led all scorers with 19 pts (5 threes) despite not starting. Jinna and Kimble each had 17, and Langston added 16. Kimble led Rio Hondo with 11 rebs, while Langston had a game-high 6 asts.
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Unofficial box score:
Saturaday, January 15, 2005 – 1 pm
At Marauder Gym, AVC, Lancaster
Rio Hondo Roadrunners 73:
2-Jabir Jinna, SG – 6/13 fg, 1/ 2 ft, 3 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 17 pts
5-Tony Langston, PG – 3/9 fg, 8/13 ft, 4 reb, 6 ast, 2 stl, 16 pts
32-Vernon Covington, PF – 2/8 fg, 5 reb, 2 blk, 1 stl, 4 pts
33-Mike Moore, C – 4 reb, 0 pts
41-Anthony Kimble, SF – 5/18 fg, 4/6 ft, 11 reb, 1 ast, 17 pts
3-Jino LaBomme, G – 6/15 fg, 2/2 ft, 2 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 19 pts
55-Vondrae Williams, C – 0/1 fg, 1 reb, 0 pts
4-Airrion Moses, F – 3 reb, 0 pts
23-Sid Holcombe, F – 0/1 fg, 0 pts
22-Andrew Gowing, F – 0 pts
team rebounds: 7
Totals: 22/65 fg (.338), 15/23 ft (.652), 40 reb, 12 ast, 2 blk, 6 stl, 73 pts
3-pt fg (14): LaBomme 5, Jinna 4, Kimble 3, Langston 2
Fouled Out: Moore 5:41 left
Turnovers (14): Langston 3, Moore 3, Jinna 2, LaBomme 2, Covington, Kimble, Williams, Holcombe
Antelope Valley Marauders 81:
10-Tyronne Miller, PG – 3/6 fg, 2/2 ft, 5 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 10 pts
15-Carlton Clay, SG – 1/8 fg, 7/8 ft, 5 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 9 pts
20-Brandon Murray, C – 4/6 fg, 3/ 4 ft, 13 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 11 pts
23-Glenn Gilliard, SF – 6/17 fg, 6 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 16 pts
34-Tommy Harris, PF – 3/10 fg, 0/7 ft, 7 reb, 1 ast, 6 pts
2-Deonte Huff, F – 4/7 fg, 5/6 ft, 9 reb, 1 ast, 14 pts
3-Joseph Dickson, G – 2/4 fg, 1/ 2 ft, 1 ast, 1 blk, 6 pts
12-Robert Hughes, C/F – 0/3 fg, 2/3 ft, 5 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 2 pts
21-Tyme Hodges, G – 0/2 fg, 2/2 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 2 pts
22-Curtis McHenry, F – 2/2 fg, 1 stl, 5 pts
team rebounds: 3
Totals: 25/65 fg (.385), 22/34 ft (.647), 55 reb, 15 ast, 5 blk, 6 stl, 81 pts
3-pt fg (9): Gilliard 4, Miller 2, Huff, Dickson, McHenry
Turnovers (14): Harris 4, Murray 3, Huff 2, Dickson 2, Gilliard, Hughes, Hodges
Halftime Score: Antelope Valley 39, Rio Hondo 38
Updated Records: Antelope Valley 13-6, 2-2 in conference; Rio Hondo 8-9, 1-3
