Pirates light coach’s fuse
WALNUT — Like a nagging winter cough, the Orange Coast College men’s basketball team refused to go away. But the symptoms associated with a 102-82 loss to Citrus in the fifth-place semifinal of the Mt. San Antonio College tournament on Saturday are indicative of a more virulent strain of dissatisfaction for Pirates Coach Steve Spencer.
OCC trailed, 51-35, at halftime and 71-51 with 13:13 left. But spurts of pressure defense and an attacking approach on offense helped fuel a 13-2 Pirates’ surge that cut the deficit to single-digits with 9:35 remaining.
But the Owls (8-2), coached by former UC Irvine guard Brett Lauer, pulled away to hand the Pirates (4-5) their third straight setback.
“We’re playing awful right now,” said Spencer, whose team was without scoring leader Jamar Reese (15.4 points per game) due to a strained Achilles tendon. “There’s no passion, no heart, no defense; just not anything that I’m all about or the program is all about.”
Spencer went on.
“No excuses. We have to play harder than we’re playing and bring more of an effort. But it’s a vaporized society and I feel like we’re playing with a bunch of guys who are into technology and gadgets and shortcuts, and there is no shortcut to defense or playing with heart. Guys aren’t defending.”
OCC sophomore Josh Mendoza, an Estancia High product, scored 12 of his 14 points after halftime and freshman reserve Kekai Smith produced all 11 of his points after intermission.
But the shortest OCC team in memory struggled on the glass, where Citrus posted a lopsided rebounding advantage, and the Owls continually created quality shots to help them shoot 53% from the field (34 for 64).
Citrus also made 11 of 22 three-point attempts, while OCC was four for 15 from threedom.
Freshman forward DeAndre Hawkins led the Pirates with 19 points and six rebounds, while sophomore guard Ryan Fusco had 12 points to make it four OCC scorers in double figures.
Four Citrus players combined for 72 points, led by sophomore guard Kenny Cyprian who had 20.
Sophomore forward Calvin Martin had 19 points and 12 rebounds and freshman guard Jeremy Smith made all four of his three-point attempts on his way to 17 points, while adding seven assists.
Kyle Gray was six for nine from the field to collect 16 points. He added five rebounds.
With the score tied, 12-12, Citrus used a 13-0 run to assume command and eliminate OCC from the tournament.
Mt. SAC Tournament
Citrus 102, Orange Coast 82
OCC – Hawkins 19, Gerlach 4, Mendoza 14, Fusco 12, Pena 4, Smith 11, Romo 8, Harding 4, Comer 4.
3-pt. goals – Fusco 2, Romo 2.
Fouled out –None.
Technicals – None.
Cit – Martin 19, Gray 16, Cyprian 20, Smith 17, Ammann 6, Ziska 8, Williams 6, Bailey 4, Caston 3, Corbin 3.
3-pt. goals – Smith 4, Cyprian 3, Ziska 2, Gray 1, Caston 1.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
Halftime: 51-35, Citrus.
