Community College Basketball : Dons Get Back at Long Beach in 83-72 Win

After a hesitant first half, Rancho Santiago College put away its inhibitions and defeated Long Beach, 83-72, Thursday in a semifinal game of the Rancho Santiago Holiday men’s basketball tournament in front of about 250.

Much of the hesitation on Rancho Santiago’s part came because of the first meeting between the teams in early November.

Long Beach scored an easy 97-82 victory as Shawn Williams scored 29 points, 21 in the first half.

For the first half Thursday, it looked like more of the same as Long Beach built a 41-32 lead.

Rancho Santiago had 8 turnovers and shot 39% (13 of 33) in the half.

But in the second half, sophomore Tony Smalley led the turnaround.

Smalley scored 10 of the Dons’ first 18 points in the second half. His short turnaround jumper gave Rancho Santiago a 50-49 lead with 12:12 left.

Rancho Santiago trailed only once more in the half and used free throws to increase the lead in the final 5 minutes. Rancho Santiago made 13 of 16 in the final 2:34 and 28 of 42 in the game.

“The players just showed a little more determination in the second half,” Rancho Santiago Coach Dana Pagett said. “They just had to show Long Beach that they could play on the same court.”

Smalley’s 20 led Rancho Santiago (10-5), which plays Santa Monica tonight at 7 in the championship game. Craig Rice had 15, Chris Martin and Gene Altamirano had 14 each. Altamirano made 6 free throws in the final 1:30.

Williams led Long Beach with 22 points, but 6 came in the final minute when Rancho Santiago was trading baskets for free throws.

Rancho Santiago also got solid play from centers Matt Lien and Mike Oden. Neither scored in the first half, but Lien had 6 points and Oden had 5 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots in the second half.

Long Beach (12-9) plays Saddleback in the third-place game at 5 today.

In the other championship semifinals:

Santa Monica 90, Saddleback 54--Saddleback made just 3 field goals and Santa Monica (14-3) opened a 42-15 lead at the half. Saddleback was 3 of 19 from the field in the half and 18 of 41 total.

Santa Moncia shot 59% (16 of 27) in the first half and 57% (36 of 63) for the game. Von Schuler led Santa Monica with 15 points, Terry Clark added 12 and Mark Day 11.

Vincent Mason was the only Saddleback player in double figures with 14. Saddleback is 7-8.

In the College of the Desert tournament:

Golden West 118, South Mountain 100--Alex Kreps led a balanced attack with 21 points as Golden West (14-4) advanced to the consolation championship game. Elbert Davis had 19 points and 11 assists for the Rustlers.

In the Mesa Rotary National tournament:

Kankakee 66, Cypress 54--Keith Gill had 18 points and 7 assists to lead Kankakee (13-1). Cypress (5-9) trailed by as many as 17 points in the second half but pulled to within 5, 57-52, with a minute left. However, Joe Lightfoot and Anthony Lewis each made 23 free throws to clinch the victory for Kankakee. Andy Kpedi scored 14 points for Kankakee. Grayle Humphrey had 14 points for Cypress.

In the Palomar tournament:

Fullerton 79, Citrus 72--Kellie McKinney scored 22 points as the Hornets (15-3) won the third-place game. Geoff Adams had 10 points and 13 rebounds and Darryl Griffin had 12 points and 12 rebounds for Fullerton.

In the Napa women’s basketball tournament:

Fullerton 91, Citrus 51--Lisa Crosskey had 20 points and 5 assists to lead the Hornets (15-1) into the tournament championship game.

In nonconference play:

Orange Coast 64, San Bernardino Valley 36--Kim Ellerman scored 14 points and Patti Leuta 12 to lead Orange Coast (8-10) at San Bernardino.

In College of the Desert women’s tournament:

Golden West 78, Merritt 67--Dee Dee Stigar had 21 points and Donna Gondringer added 16 for Golden West (16-3) in the second-round game. Tidra Hardy had 28 points for Merritt. Golden West plays Mt. San Jacinto today.