PG Branden Fisher had 19 pts and 6 asts and was one of six players to score in double figures for #6 LA City (17-5, 1-0) as the Cubs won their SCC-North opener, 89-67, over visiting Mt. San Antonio (8-10, 0-1).
LA City shot 57.6% from the floor and led virtually the entire game in an extremely impressive performance. The win puts the Cubs into first place in their quest for a 15th consecutive SCC North division title.
For the first few minutes of the game, the lead went back and forth, but after Mt. SAC led 7-6 LACC went into the lead for good. A free throw by Ctr Travis George gave LACC a 10-point lead at 25-15 with 9:13 left in the half.
Mt. SAC was still behind by just 8 points at 31-23 until a long 3-pointer by Fisher with 3:20 left in the half. Then George laid in a soft dunk on an off-the-glass pass from Fisher after a steal by SG Eric Nelson to make it 41-27. After a free throw by Mt. SAC SG Julian Reyes, George scored on a driving lay-up late in the half to put LACC ahead, 43-28, at the break.
When the second half began, Mt. SAC trailed by 13 at 45-32 when LA City went on a 14-0 run to take complete control of the game. A 3-pointer by SG James White made it 59-32. LA City led by at least 15 the rest of the game.
Besides Fisher, double-figures scorers for LA City were PF Ricky Boyles (14 pts on 7-for-7 shooting plus a game-high 9 rebs), George (13 pts before fouling out late in the game), Nelson (10 pts, 5 rebs, 6 asts), SF Mundrell Young (10 pts) and SF Scott Sterling (10 pts, 3 rebs, 4 asts). PF Diego Belizario had 6 pts and tied Boyles for game honors with 9 rebs.
For Mt. SAC, SG Gary McNellys led the way with 17 pts while Ctr Keyshawn Ross had 13 pts and 5 rebs. SG Versia Hodges had 12 pts and 3 asts. PF Aiona Key, who is also one of the top wide receivers in California on the football field, came off the bench to add 12 pts. PG Kendrick Lafayette also came off the bench for the Mounties and did not score but dished out a game-high 7 asts.
box score
Friday, January 18, 2008 - 7:30 pm
at LA City College
South Coast Conference - North Division
Mt. San Antonio Mounties 67:
4-Versia Hodges, SG - 5/13 fg, 2/2 ft, 1 reb, 3 ast, 12 pts
11-Daniel Morales, PG - 1/2 fg, 2/2 ft, 4 ast, 4 pts
21-Gary McNellys, SF - 6/14 fg, 3/4 ft, 4 reb, 1 stl, 1 pf, 17 pts
34-Delanzo Board, PF - 0/1 fg, 2/2 ft, 1 blk, 2 stl, 1 pf, 2 pts
44-Keyshawn Ross, C - 6/9 fg, 1/3 ft, 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 13 pts
22-Isaiah Whitfield, F - 1/3 fg, 1/2 ft, 5 reb, 2 ast, 3 pts
33-Chason Woods, F - 1/1 fg, 1 reb, 2 pts
20-Kendrick Lafayette, G - 0/6 fg, 1 reb, 7 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 0 pts
25-Aiona Key, F - 5/12 fg, 1/1 ft, 2 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 3 pf, 12 pts
32-Melvin Ugwuala, C - 1/2 ft, 1 pf, 1 pt
3-Julian Reyes, G - 1/2 ft, 1 pt
team rebounds: 8
Totals: 25/62 fg (.403), 14/20 ft (.700), 27 reb, 17 ast, 2 blk, 6 stl, 12 pf, 67 pts
3-pt fg (3): McNellys 2, Key
Technical Foul: Coach Freeman
Turnovers (17): Hodges 5, Whitfield 3, Lafayette 3, Ross 2, Morales, McNellys, Key, Reyes
LA City Cubs 89:
2-Eric Nelson, SG - 5/6 fg, 5 reb, 6 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 10 pts
5-Branden Fisher, PG - 6/10 fg, 4/6 ft, 1 reb, 6 ast, 2 stl, 2 pf, 19 pts
10-Mundrell Young, SF - 4/9 fg, 2/3 ft, 4 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 2 stl, 4 pf, 10 pts
15-Diego Belizario, PF - 3/4 fg, 0/2 ft, 9 reb, 2 ast, 3 pf, 6 pts
50-Travis George, C - 6/11 fg, 1/2 ft, 7 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 5 pf, 13 pts
20-Ricky Boyles, F - 7/7 fg, 9 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 3 pf, 14 pts
22-Scott Sterling, F - 4/12 fg, 2/2 ft, 3 reb, 4 ast, 1 pf, 10 pts
13-James White, G - 2/5 fg, 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 pf, 5 pts
11-Chris Telesford, F - 1/1 fg, 4 reb, 2 ast, 2 pts
24-Jasmond Nash, G - 0/1 fg, 1 pf, 0 pts
team rebounds: 0
Totals: 38/66 fg (.576), 9/15 ft (.600), 43 reb, 25 ast, 3 blk, 8 stl, 20 pf, 89 pts
3-pt fg (4): Fisher 3, White
Intentional Foul: George
Fouled Out: George 3:01 left
Turnovers (16) : Fisher 5, Sterling 3, George 2, Nelson, Young, Belizario, Boyles, White, Nash
Halftime Score: LA City 43, Mt. San Antonio 28
Updated Records: LA City (#6-South, #8-Calif) 17-5, 1-0 in SCC-N; Mt. SAC 8-10, 0-1 in SCC-N
