Ctr Rafael Morelos had a double-double with 16 pts and 10 rebs to lead East LA to a 59-57 win over Cuyamaca in the first game of the 4th Annual Clash At Canyons Tip-Off Event Friday evening in Santa Clarita.
After Cuyamaca started the game with a 7-0 run, thanks largely to 5 East LA turnovers in the first two minutes, the Huskies answered with a 14-0 run and led the rest of the way.
East LA (2-0) took its first lead at 8-7 on a pair of free throws by Morelos with 15:57 left, and led, 14-7, after holding Cuyamaca (0-1) scoreless for exactly seven minutes before a basket by SF Keko Moore with 11:40 left.
East LA held a 27-20 lead at halftime, and pushed the margin to a dozen at 34-22 early in the second half.
Cuyamaca cut the deficit to four after an 8-0 spurt highlighted by a 3-pointer by Ctr Jake Haar, and trimmed the deficit to four a couple of more times, but never quite caught up.
SG Gabriel Gamboa made four free throws in the final 45 seconds to help the Huskies hold on. The lead never got below four points until Moore hit a 3-pointer for Cuyamaca as the final buzzer sounded.
Morelos' 16 points were game-high and his 10 rebounds were team-high for East LA. SF Deon Geary had 12 pts, 4 rebs, 4 asts and 2 steals before fouling out late in the game, and SG Elson Vessel also scored 12 pts coming off the bench. Gamboa had 10 pts on 3-for-3 from the floor and 4-for-4 from the line.
East LA had a 43-31 rebounding advantage, including 27-12 in the first half, despite the absence of 6-10 Ctr Mark Torres, who is recovering from an infected spider bite and had a 102 temperature, but was able to support the team from the bench.
SF Chioke Walker led Cuyamaca with 14 pts. SG Terrence Cole had 12 pts. PF Elgin Smith had 8 pts and a game-high 11 rebs, and Haar had 8 pts and 8 boards.
Friday, November 11, 2011 - 5 pm
at College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita
East LA Huskies:
2-Albert Chavez, PG - 0/3 fg, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 pf, 0 pts
12-Gabriel Gamboa, SG - 3/3 fg, 4/4 ft, 1 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 2 pf, 10 pts
23-Deon Geary, SF - 5/17 fg, 2/3 ft, 4 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 5 pf, 12 pts
24-Fernando Morelos, PF - 0/5 fg, 1/2 ft, 4 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk, 2 pf, 1 pt
42-Rafael Morelos, C - 6/12 fg, 4/5 ft, 10 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 3 pf, 16 pts
10-Mazen Harris Javier, G - 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 5 pf, 0 pts
20-Evan Barr, F - 2/5 fg, 2/2 ft, 5 reb, 1 ast, 2 pf, 6 pts
4-Elson Vessel, G - 6/9 fg, 5 reb, 2 stl, 2 pf, 12 pts
35-Robert Ponce, C - 0/1 fg, 2 reb, 1 pf, 0 pts
11-Zack Ward, G - 2 reb, 2 pf, 0 pts
1-Terrell Robinson, G - 1/3 fg, 2 reb, 1 ast, 2 pf, 2 pts
team rebounds: 4
Totals: 23/58 fg (.397), 13/16 ft (.813), 43 reb, 13 ast, 3 blk, 8 stl, 27 pf, 59 pts
3-pt fg (0): None
Fouled Out: Harris Javier 4:06 left, Geary 1:34 left
Turnovers (24): R.Morelos 5, Geary 3, F.Morelos 3, Chavez 2, Gamboa 2, Barr 2, Vessel 2, Ponce 2, Harris Javier, Ward, Robinson
Cuyamaca Coyotes 57:
14-Terrence Cole, SG - 4/7 fg, 3/5 ft, 5 reb, 1 ast, 3 stl, 1 pf, 12 pts
20-Dalawn Moss, PG - 1/5 fg, 2/2 ft, 1 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl, 1 pf, 5 pts
22-Chioke Walker, SF - 2/11 fg, 9/12 ft, 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 4 pf, 14 pts
44-Elgin Smith, PF - 4/6 fg, 0/1 ft, 11 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 1 pf, 8 pts
50-Jake Haar, C - 3/11 fg, 1/2 ft, 8 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 2 pf, 8 pts
24-Tim Hollins, G - 0/2 fg, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 0 pts
32-Keko Moore, F - 3/8 fg, 1/2 ft, 3 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 3 pf, 8 pts
12-Cody Bermudes, G - 0/1 fg, 2 pf, 0 pts
10-Yuel Hagos, G - 2/2 ft, 2 pts
team rebounds: 0
Totals: 17/51 fg (.333), 18/26 ft (.692), 31 reb, 11 ast, 5 blk, 11 stl, 14 pf, 57 pts
3-pt fg (5): Cole, Moss, Walker, Haar, Moore
Turnovers (17): Moss 4, Walker 4, Moore 4, Haar 2, Cole, Smith, team
Halftime Score: East LA 27, Cuyamaca 20
Updated Records: East LA 2-0, Cuyamaca 0-1
Cuyamaca started the game with a 7-0 run; East LA answered with a 14-0 run and led the rest of the way. East LA led by as many as 12 at 34-22. Cuyamaca got within 4 three different times but no closer until Moore's 3-pointer as the final buzzer sounded.
