The Minnesota combo of Ctr Dejuan Flowers and PF Lee Stephens was dominant, combining for 41 points and 20 rebounds to lead #9 Mt. San Jacinto (22-3, 6-1) to an 80-74 win over a stubborn squad from host Rio Hondo (6-18, 2-5) Saturday afternoon in Whittier.
Flowers finished with 22 pts, 8 rebs and 3 blocked shots, while Stephens had 19 pts, 17 in the second half, plus a game-high 12 rebs for the Eagles. That, plus a productive game from SG Mark Williams, who had 11 pts, 7 asts and 3 steals, was enough for Mt. San Jacinto to get the win.
But it was far from easy, as Rio Hondo held a 1-point lead at halftime and was in the game into the final seconds. The Roadrunners closed the margin to 6 points and had the ball with just over 30 seconds left, but could get no closer. A missed shot, followed by a free throw from M. Williams and a pair of free throws from SG Jesse Jiminez in the final seconds sealed the win for the Eagles.
Early on, it looked like Mt. San Jacinto might have an easy time of it, opening a 7-0 lead as Rio Hondo missed its first 6 shots from the floor. But the Roadrunners overcame the rough start, taking a 10-9 lead on a driving lay-up by PF Jawan Davis. The lead went back and forth the rest of the half, with Rio Hondo taking a 33-32 lead on a 3-pointer by SG Kevon Branch, and getting a basket from Ctr Daryl Jones to make it 35-32. A basket by Flowers brought Mt. San Jacinto within a point at the break at 35-34.
Early in the second half, Mt. San Jacinto inched in front, breaking a 38-38 tie with a 3-pointer from Stephens. The lead reached as much as 14 at 71-57 after a pair of baskets by Stephens with under six minutes left, but Rio Hondo kept clawing back into the game. A jumper by PG Adam Ross with 1:28 left made it an 8-point game at 77-69.
And when Mt. San Jacinto failed to get the ball across halfcourt in ten seconds, the Roadrunners got the ball back, and they closed the margin to 6 points at 77-71 after a pair of free throws by Ross. Still trailing by 6, Rio Hondo got another chance when Branch stole the ball and attempted a shot that could have cut the lead to 4. But his shot missed, and the Eagles got possession when the ball went out of bounds with 30.2 seconds left. And that proved to be Rio Hondos last good chance to rally.
For Mt. San Jacinto, Flowers led the way with his 22 pts, which came on 7-for-10 from the floor and 8-for-8 from the free throw line. Stephens was even more efficient, making 8 of his 9 shots from the floor for his 19 points. Williams was just 2-for-10 from the floor, but made 5 of 6 free throws and made key plays when it counted most. SF Marc Wilson added 9 pts, all in the first half, and 8 rebs, subbing for the injured Tim Island (left hand injury).
For Rio Hondo, Branch led all scorers with 24 pts, which included 6 threes, and had 5 steals. Ross had a strong game as well with 19 pts, 6 rebs and 7 asts. Jones, still recovering from flulike symptoms, came off the bench and nearly posted a double-double with 12 pts, 9 rebs and 4 blocked shots.
box score
Saturday, January 26, 2008 1 pm
at Rio Hondo College, Whittier
Foothill Conference
Mt. San Jacinto Eagles 80:
0-Marc Wilson, SF 4/11 fg, 0/1 ft, 8 reb, 1 blk, 2 stl, 3 pf, 9 pts
5-Mark Williams, SG 2/10 fg, 5/6 ft, 3 reb, 7 ast, 3 stl, 2 pf, 11 pts
11-Raymond Williams, PG 2/6 fg, 1/4 ft, 5 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 5 pts
34-Dejuan Flowers, C 7/10 fg, 8/8 ft, 8 reb, 3 blk, 1 stl, 22 pts
44-Lee Stephens, PF 8/9 fg, 1/2 ft, 12 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 2 pf, 19 pts
2-Justin Jack, F 0/1 fg, 1 reb, 2 ast, 1 pf, 0 pts
13-Jesse Jiminez, G 2/2 fg, 2/2 ft, 1 reb, 1 stl, 7 pts
25-Derrick Langley, F 0/1 fg, 1 reb, 1 blk, 0 pts
33-Ramon Williams, F 2/6 fg, 5 reb, 2 ast, 1 pf, 4 pts
3-Nate Harvey, G 0/2 fg, 1/2 ft, 4 reb, 2 ast, 5 pf, 1 pt
24-Tim Taylor, C 1/1 fg, 1 reb, 2 pts
team rebounds: 4
Totals: 28/59 fg (.475), 18/25 ft (.720), 53 reb, 19 ast, 6 blk, 8 stl, 16 pf, 80 pts
3-pt fg (6): M.Williams 2, Stephens 2, Wilson, Jiminez
Fouled Out: Harvey 10.3 secs left
Turnovers (31): M.Williams 7, Wilson 6, Ray.Williams 5, Stephens 5, Rod.Williams 3, Jiminez 2, Flowers, Jack, team
Rio Hondo Roadrunners 74:
2-Adam Ross, PG 6/14 fg, 7/8 ft, 6 reb, 7 ast, 1 stl, 4 pf, 19 pts
3-Kevon Branch, SG 8/18 fg, 2/3 ft, 2 reb, 3 ast, 5 stl, 24 pts
11-Victor Lee, SF 0/4 fg, 1 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 3, pf, 0 pts
24-Mychael Hamner, PF 0/5 fg, 1 reb, 1 ast, 3 pf, 0 pts
55-Pierre Baker, C 2/2 fg, 2 reb, 1 stl, 3 pf, 4 pts
23-Rashon Haralson, G 3/9 fg, 7 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 4 pf, 7 pts
32-Daryl Jones, C 5/9 fg, 2/4 ft, 9 reb, 4 blk, 1 stl, 12 pts
50-Jawan Davis, F 3/16 fg, 5 reb, 5 ast, 1 blk, 2 stl, 8 pts
team rebounds: 4
Totals: 27/77 fg (.351), 11/15 ft (.733), 37 reb, 17 ast, 7 blk, 13 stl, 19 pf, 74 pts
3-pt fg (9): Branch 6, Davis 2, Haralson
Turnovers (18): Davis 5, Ross 3, Hamner 3, Lee 2, Jones 2, Branch, Baker, Haralson
Halftime Score: Rio Hondo 35, Mt. San Jacinto 34
Updated Records: Mt. San Jacinto (t-#9 South, #15 Calif) 22-3, 6-1; Rio Hondo 6-18, 2-5
