THE COLLEGES : Community College Men’s Basketball Playoffs : Ammann Scores Career-High 38 for Rancho Santiago

Kenny Ammann scored a career-high 38 points to lead Rancho Santiago College to a 98-76 victory over Los Angeles Harbor Wednesday in a Southern California community college men’s regional playoff basketball game at Rancho Santiago.

Ammann, a sophomore guard, was 6 of 7 on three-point attempts and scored 22 points in the second half as Rancho Santiago blew open a 50-45 halftime lead.

Rancho Santiago (25-7) meets Cypress Saturday at Cypress. The winner advances to the state tournament March 10-12 at Santa Clara University. It will be the third time the teams, both in the Orange Empire Conference, have met this season. Cypress won the first two. Los Angeles Harbor ends the season 19-10.

Ammann made two free throws to increase the Rancho Santiago lead to 54-46 with 17:52 left. He made a layup off a steal, then a three-point basket, and Rancho Santiago led, 59-46, with 17:01 left.

Ammann was almost as impressive on defense. He held Mark Hill, Los Angeles Harbor’s top scorer, to one field goal and seven points in the second half. Hill ended with 22 points.

“Going into the game, I was mainly worried about defense and guarding Hill,” Ammann said. “I figured that was most important. I was just going to look for my shot, and if it was there I would take it.”

Tolbert Routt scored to put Harbor ahead, 35-34, with 4:24 left in the first half. It was Harbor’s last lead.

Rancho Santiago went on a 15-6 run to take a 50-40 lead with 36 seconds left in the half.

Rancho Santiago had total control in the last 18 minutes. Alonzo Jamison had a pair of dunks, including a reverse to put Rancho Santiago ahead, 93-66.

In other second-round games:

Cypress 84, Chaffey 73--Jeff Green and Jim Sammon scored 19 points each to lead Cypress at home. Cypress, which got a first-round bye, needed a 7-0 spurt late in the game to finally clinch it. Pete Abram made a three-point shot, was fouled after the shot and made both ends of a one-and-one to complete a five-point play and cut the Cypress lead to 75-68 with 3:12 left. Then Cypress went on the run and led, 82-68, with 2:12 left. It was the 14th consecutive victory for Cypress.

Imperial Valley 80, Fullerton 76--Tank Cantrell scored 29 points, including a pair of free throws with two seconds remaining, as host Imperial Valley (26-7) held on. Trailing, 78-76, Fullerton’s Troy Joseph missed a three-point field goal with 12 seconds left. Cantrell got the rebound and was fouled. Joseph finished with 27 points to lead Fullerton (19-13).

El Camino 60, Saddleback 53--El Camino (29-3) outscored Saddleback, 21-6, to start the second half at El Camino. Saddleback went on a 24-5 run midway through the first half and led, 33-26, at the half.

Vincent Smalls led Saddleback with 18, Joe Hudson had 14 and John Waikle 12. Saddleback held El Camino’s leading scorer, Kirkland Howling, to 11 points and the team’s second-leading scorer, Charles White, to 9. They average 18.6 and 15.5, respectively.