THE COLLEGES : Community College Basketball : Sammon Leads Cypress Past Saddleback, 54-38

Jim Sammon scored 17 points to lead Cypress College to a 54-38 victory over Saddleback Wednesday in an Orange Empire Conference men’s basketball game at Cypress.

The game featured two of the top teams in the state, but fifth-ranked Cypress had little trouble with eighth-ranked Saddleback. Cypress (21-5, 4-0) opened an 8-0 lead in the first five minutes and never trailed. The loss snapped Saddleback’s nine-game winning streak.

Saddleback (15-7, 3-1) shot 34% (15 of 44) and missed four layups early in the second half. Cypress shot 45% (18 of 40) and was again impressive from the free-throw line. Cypress made 17 of 20 and is 54 of 66 in conference.

Saddleback made its only serious run late in the game when Cypress went from 9:05 to 4:39 without scoring. But Saddleback was only able to cut the lead to 10, 39-29.

Jeff Green added 14 points and 12 rebounds for Cypress, which completes the first round of conference play at Riverside at 7:30 Saturday night.

Terrell Malone and Joe Hudson scored 10 points each for Saddleback, and Vincent Smalls added 8. Saddleback plays at Rancho Santiago Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Rancho Santiago 74, Citrus 52--Alonzo Jamison led five Dons in double figures with 17 points. Tony Smalley added 16 for Rancho Santiago (19-6, 3-1).

Orange Coast 72, Riverside 61--Dave Miles scored 30 points, making 12 of 18 shots from the floor. Miles also had 15 rebounds. Dareck Crane added 21 points for the Pirates (14-12, 1-3).

Riverside (11-13, 1-3) was led by Corey Arnett with 23 points.

In the South Coast Conference:

Fullerton 91, Golden West 82--Troy Joseph scored 25 points and Roy Joseph 16 to lead the host Hornets (15-8, 5-2). Elbert Davis had 23 points for the Hornets (12-11, 2-5).

In a South Coast Conference women’s game:

Golden West 93, Fullerton 83 (OT)--Kathy Werth scored 24 points, Lori Totosz 18 and Jeannine Battaglia 16 to lead the Hornets (23-1, 7-0). The Hornets’ Lisa Crosskey, who scored 22 points, made a three-point field goal to send the game into overtime. Totosz and Stephanie Swanson each scored four points in the overtime for Golden West. Fullerton is 17-7 and 5-2.