#10 LA City (19-7, 4-0) had five players score in double figures and overcame a 12-point second-half deficit to post a 91-80 win over #13 Pasadena (18-9, 2-2) Friday night and remain alone atop the SCC-North.
The Cubs basically used just 6 players - reserve guard Darryl Pinelo played a couple of minutes in the first half but registed no other statistics - but that proved to be no problem for LA City. Three Cubs posted double-doubles, and PG Brandon Fisher added 21 pts and 6 asts for the winners, who not only didn't weaken but seemingly got stronger as the game went on and pulled away late.
Pasadena went on a 17-3 run midway through the first half, overcoming an early 21-16 deficit to take a 33-24 lead, and led by 8 at 40-32 at the break. The lead expanded to 12 at 46-34 after back-to-back threes by SG ChaRunn Jones early in the second half.
But then LACC rallied, helped by severe foul trouble on the Pasadena front line. SF Joel Nolen went to the bench early in the second half with his 4th foul, and Ctr Tyree McCary joined him after picking up his 4th foul with 10:38 left. PF Elliott Berry also picked up his 4th foul with 7:48 left.
LACC took advantage of that, rallying to take a 57-56 lead on a pair of free throws by Fisher with 11:17 left and pulling out to an 8-point advantage after two free throws by Fisher on Berry's 4th foul with 7:48 left.
Pasadena put the starting front line back in the game with 7:20 left, but was unable to cut significantly into the LACC lead. The Lancers got within 6 at 85-79 in the final minute, but a pair of free throws by Fisher made it 87-79 with 46 seconds left. Despite fouling repeatedly, PCC was unable to get any closer than 8 points after that.
For LACC, PF Cord Desmond led the way with 23 pts and 10 rebs, while Ctr Fabian Wilson also had a double-double with 16 pts and 14 rebs. SF Antonio Owens came off the bench and also had a double-double with 20 pts and 10 rebs. Fisher had his 21 pts and 6 asts, with just one turnover, and SG Clarence Davis chipped in with 10 pts.
For Pasadena, PG Corey Caston had game-highs 25 pts and 12 asts, and also had 3 steals. Jones had 23 pts, including 7 threes, setting a new Pasadena team record for 3-pointers made in a season (he now has 103). Nolen managed 13 pts before fouling out with 1:20 left.
The win improves LA City to 19-7 overall, but more importantly, 4-0 in the SCC-North. The Cubs saw their 14-year streak of winning or sharing the division title end last season, but are in sole possession of first place this year. Pasadena falls to 2-2, and it doesn't get any easier for the Lancers as their next game is at LA Trade Tech, which won the SCC-North last season and defeated Pasadena in overtime two weeks ago.
box score
Friday, January 30, 2009 - 7:30 pm
at Hutto-Patterson Gym, Pasadena
South Coast Conference - North Division
LA City Cubs 91:
5-Brandon Fisher, PG - 5/13 fg, 8/8 ft, 3 reb, 6 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 21 pts
13-Clarence Davis, SG - 3/5 fg, 2/4 ft, 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 pf, 10 pts
15-Jerrett Towns, SF - 0/2 fg, 1/2 ft, 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 5 pf, 1 pt
24-Cord Desmond, PF - 11/16 fg, 0/2 ft, 10 reb, 3 ast, 4 stl, 4 pf, 23 pts
50-Fabian Wilson, C - 7/14 fg, 2/6 ft, 14 reb, 1 ast, 2 blk, 4 pf, 16 pts
0-Antonio Owens, F - 7/14 fg, 5/8 ft, 10 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 3 pf, 20 pts
12-Darryl Pinelo, G - 0 pts
team rebounds: 4
Totals: 33/64 fg (.516), 18/30 ft (.600), 43 reb, 16 ast, 2 blk, 9 stl, 19 pf, 91 pts
3-pt fg (7): Fisher 3, Davis 2, Desmond, Owens
Turnovers (17): Owens 5, Towns 4, Wilson 4, Desmond 3, Fisher
Pasadena Lancers 80:
12-Corey Caston, PG - 8/22 fg, 7/8 ft, 2 reb, 12 ast, 3 stl, 2 pf, 25 pts
13-Elliott Berry, PF - 2/8 fg, 5/8 ft, 9 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 4 pf, 9 pts
14-ChaRunn Jones, SG - 8/18 fg, 5 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 2 pf, 23 pts
24-Joel Nolen, SF - 6/11 fg, 1/2 ft, 4 reb, 2 stl, 5 pf, 13 pts
52-Tyree McCary, C - 3/7 fg, 2/2 ft, 9 reb, 4 ast, 3 blk, 4 pf, 8 pts
22-Edwin Edukere, F - 0/3 fg, 2/2 ft, 3 reb, 1 blk, 2 pf, 2 pts
30-Antoine Bryan, F - 0/2 fg, 1 reb, 1 stl, 1 pf, 0 pts
21-Korbin McCarthy, F - 1 pf, 0 pts
40-Phillip Brown, G - 1 pf, 0 pts
team rebounds: 5
Totals: 27/71 fg (.380), 17/22 ft (.773), 38 reb, 21 ast, 5 blk, 9 stl, 22 pf, 80 pts
3-pt fg (9): Jones 7, Caston 2
Fouled Out: Nolen 1:20 left
Turnovers (16): Berry 5, Nolen 3, Caston 2, Jones 2, McCary 2, Edukere, Bryan
Halftime Score: Pasadena 40, LA City 32
Updated Records: LA City (#10-South, #20-Calif) 19-7 overall, 4-0 in SCC-N; Pasadena (#13-South) 18-9 overall, 2-2 in SCC-N
note: Jones broke the PCC team record for 3-pointers in one season; he now has 103
PCC led by 12 early in the 2nd half
