Community College Basketball : Saddleback Blows 15-Point Lead and Loses to Cypress

Saddleback College missed the front end of five straight one-and-one free-throw situations Saturday night and couldn’t hold off Cypress in a South Coast Conference men’s basketball game at Saddleback. The Chargers overcame a 15-point deficit to beat the Gauchos, 59-51.

Saddleback missed its free throws after building a 38-23 lead. The Gauchos (5-8, 10-14) made 17 of their first 20 shots from the field. Cypress then ran off 15 straight points to tie the game with 9:17 left.

Cypress (11-1, 21-5) took the lead for good with 3:27 left, 46-45, on a free throw by Bill Dobbs.

CYPRESS (59)--Krivashei 2, Martineau 8, Umans 10, Horn 11, Dobbs 13, Marusich 2, Swanner 12, Kramer 1.

SADDLEBACK (51)--Desiano 8, Taylor 11, Minier 12, Miles 7, Lemon 5, Sullivan 6, Magee 2.

Halftime--Saddleback, 28-15

In other South Coast Conference action:

Orange Coast 73, Golden West 67--The Pirates held a 37-32 lead with one minute to play in the first half and then scored six unanswered points to pull away at Golden West. The Rustlers (1-12, 5-19) were led by guard Bryon Strachan, who scored 24 points. Orange Coast (3-9, 10-15) was paced by Jon Johnston’s 22 points and Chuck McGavran’s 13 assists.

ORANGE COAST (73)--Johnston 22, McGavran 12, Seager 5, Judd 18, Mulcahey 3, Andrasfay 1, Stamps 12.

GOLDEN WEST (67)--Strachan 24, Brown 7, Smith 18, Utu 4, Simpson 8, Makoutz 6.

Halftime--OCC, 43-32.

Cerritos 93, Rancho Santiago 72--Five Falcons scored in double figures as Cerritos (12-1, 26-2) overwhelmed the Dons (3-9, 15-12). Tom Tolbert led the Falcons with 18 points, followed by Kelly Andrews with 16, Willie Joseph with 15, Russ Heicke with 13 and Marlon Wadlington with 11. Mark Moses of Rancho Santiago led all scorers with 23 points.

CERRITOS (93)--Rogers 8, Joseph 15, Wadlington 11, Hall 4, K. Andrews 16, Heicke 13, D. Andrews 2, Tolbert 18, Sandoval 2, Buell 4.

RANCHO SANTIAGO (72)--Moses 23, Thomas 15, Schurman 11, Quirit 2, Elliott 4, Martin 6, Cole 11.

Halftime--Cerritos, 42-29