SF Buchi Awaji went 11-for-13 from the floor for a game-high 29 pts and SG Virgil (JR) Buensuceso came off the bench to score 18 pts as host #5 Citrus (8-0) topped Orange Coast (2-5) in the championship game of the Neil Edwards tournament Sunday afternoon.
Awaji had 5 threes, 5 rebs, 3 asts and 2 steals in the win. SF A.J. Gasporra had a strong game as well with 15 pts, 7 rebs and 5 asts for the winners.
With both teams pressing throughout the game, there were a total of 53 turnovers, 71 fouls called and 79 free throws taken. Five players fouled out of the game.
Citrus led much of the game, going on a 13-0 run in the first half to wipe out an early 20-15 deficit, and held a 9-point edge at halftime. But Orange Coast stayed close until Ctr Brian Helmuth fouled out with 8:27 remaining.
Orange Coast trailed by just 5 points at 77-72 after a jumper by SF Shaun Engle, but Citrus got threes from Gasporra and Awaji to push the lead to 11. Two more Awaji free throws made it 85-72. After a pair of free throws by OCC SF Brian Gee, Helmuth fouled out. Then Citrus pulled away behind a pair of free throws from PF Ralph Monday, a basket by Gaspora and a basket by PG Kelly Johnson that made it 91-74.
SG Darren Moore also had a solid game for Citrus with 13 pts, 6 rebs and 3 blocked shots. Monday chipped in with 7 pts while pulling down a game-high 12 rebs. PG Nate Richardson came off the bench to score 10 pts.
For Orange Coast, Gee led the way with 23 pts including 4 threes. Engle had 14 pts and SG Matthew Ching had 11 pts and 4 steals. PG Brian Molina had 6 pts and a game-high 6 asts.
Buensuceso was named Tourney MVP for Citrus. Gasporra (Citrus) and Engle (Orange Coast) were named to the all-tournament team.
box score
Sunday, November 25, 2007 - 6 pm
2008 Neil Edwards Classic @ Citrus College, Glendora
Championship Game
Orange Coast Pirates 92:
4-Tres Saldivar, PG - 1/2 fg, 0/1 ft, 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 pf, 2 pts
21-Justin Dang, PF - 3/4 fg, 0/2 ft, 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 8 pts
23-Eric O'Mahony, SG - 0/3 fg, 1 reb, 1 ast, 2 pf, 0 pts
24-Shaun Engle, SF - 5/15 fg, 3/3 ft, 5 reb, 3 ast, 3 pf, 14 pts
33-Brian Helmuth, C - 3/8 fg, 2/4 ft, 5 reb, 1 stl, 5 pf, 8 pts
3-Brian Molina, G - 1/9 fg, 3/4 ft, 3 reb, 6 ast, 1 pf, 6 pts
13-Calvin Guess, F - 3/4 fg, 1/1 ft, 2 reb, 1 pf, 7 pts
11-Matthew Ching, G - 2/5 fg, 7/10 ft, 4 reb, 3 ast, 4 stl, 3 pf, 11 pts
14-Brian Gee, F - 7/10 fg, 5/5 ft, 2 reb, 2 pf, 23 pts
40-Nicholas Milan, F - 1/1 fg, 1 pf, 2 pts
15-Nico Saldivar, G - 0/1 ft, 2 stl, 2 pf, 0 pts
5-MyKale Hall, G - 0/2 fg, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 pf, 0 pts
32-Jonathan Brown, F - 0/1 fg, 1 reb, 5 pf, 0 pts
25-Allen Lezama, F - 1/1 fg, 2/2 ft, 1 ast, 1 stl, 5 pf, 4 pts
42-Terry Martin, F - 0/1 fg, 2 reb, 1 pf, 0 pts
20-Vinnie Nasca, G - 0/2 fg, 1 reb, 0 pts
31-Jonas Lalehzadeh, F - 2/4 fg, 3/3 ft, 4 reb, 1 stl, 3 pf, 7 pts
team rebounds: 8
Totals: 29/73 fg (.397), 26/35 ft (.743), 43 reb, 18 ast, 0 blk, 10 stl, 38 pf, 92 pts
3-pt fg (8): Gee 4, Dange 2, Engle, Molina
Intentional Foul: Lalehzadeh
Fouled Out: Helmuth 8:27 left, Lezama 7:59 left, Brown 3:17 left
Turnovers (28): Molina 7, Ching 4, T.Saldivar 3, Nasca 3, Engle 2, Brown 2, Lezama 2, Dang, Helmuth, Milan, Hall, Martin
Citrus Owls 114:
10-Kelly Johnson, PG - 2/6 fg, 1/5 ft, 2 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl, 3 pf, 5 pts
15-Darren Moore, SG - 3/7 fg, 7/9 ft, 6 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk, 1 stl, 5 pf, 13 pts
20-A.J. Gasporra, PF - 5/11 fg, 2/3 ft, 7 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 15 pts
25-Buchi Awaji, SF - 11/13 fg, 2/3 ft, 5 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 3 pf, 29 pts
44-Richard Frohlich, C - 3/3 fg, 2/2 ft, 3 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 3 pf, 8 pts
30-Troy Payne, F - 2 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 5 pf, 0 pts
5-Nate Richardson, G - 3/5 fg, 3/5 ft, 1 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 10 pts
3-Virgil Buensuceso, G - 6/11 fg, 4/7 ft, 2 reb, 2 stl, 3 pf, 18 pts
23-Ralph Monday, F - 1/7 fg, 5/6 ft, 12 reb, 1 ast, 3 pf, 7 pts
12-Steven Bennett, G - 1/1 fg, 0/2 ft, 1 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk, 2 pf, 2 pts
14-Jeremy Smith, F - 2/2 fg, 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 3 pf, 4 pts
32-Valentine Ike, F - 0/1 fg, 1 ast, 0 pts
40-A.J. Greenwood, F - 1/1 fg, 1/1 ft, 3 pts
team rebounds: 6
Totals: 38/68 fg (.559), 28/44 ft (.636), 50 reb, 23 ast, 7 blk, 12 stl, 33 pf, 114 pts
3-pt fg (10): Awaji 5, Gasporra 2, Buensuceso 2, Richardson
Technical Foul: Frohlich, Monday, Moore
Fouled Out: Payne 8:55 left, Moore 2:09 left
Turnovers (25): Awaji 5, Payne 3, Richardson 3, Buensuceso 3, Johnson 2, Moore 2, Bennett 2, Gasporra, Frohlich, Monday, Smith, Greenwood
Halftime Score: Citrus 53, Orange Coast 44
Updated Records: Citrus (#5-South, #10-Calif) 8-0, Orange Coast 2-5
Buensuceso was named tourney MVP
Gasporra (Citrus) & Engle (OCC) were named to all-tournament team
