Basketball Roundup : Lien Scores Career-High 31 as Rancho Santiago Wins, 95-85

Matt Lien capped an impressive week with a career-high 31 points to lead Rancho Santiago College to a 95-85 victory over Golden West Saturday in an Orange Empire Conference men’s basketball game at Rancho Santiago.

With the victory, Rancho Santiago clinched at least a tie for second place in the conference and a spot in the upcoming Southern California Regional playoffs. The top three teams from each conference get automatic berths in the playoffs.

Golden West and Orange Coast are tied for fourth, a game behind Cypress. Cypress plays Orange Coast next Wednesday and Golden West Saturday.

Lien had 10 points Wednesday, including three in the final minute, as Rancho Santiago defeated Orange Coast, 58-52. Saturday, Lien, a 6-foot-9 freshman from Whittier Christian High School, was 11 of 13 from the field and nine of 11 from the free-throw line.

At one point in the first half, he scored 10 consecutive points and 12 of 14 for Rancho Santiago (17-10 overall, 7-4 in conference play). Rancho Santiago led, 48-41, at the half.

Lien also scored eight consecutive points in the second half to help Rancho Santiago to a 76-60 lead with 9:02 left.

“He had a great game,” Rancho Santiago Coach Dana Pagett said. “I don’t know what else you can say about the way he played.”

Rancho Santiago appeared to have the game in control after Lien’s second-half outburst, but Golden West’s Markus Muller-Stach finally got going. Muller-Stach, averaging 21 points a game to lead the conference, scored nine consecutive points to cut the lead to 80-71 with 5:03 left.

Golden West (19-10, 4-6) got as close as six twice in the final 4 minutes, but Rancho Santiago’s Chris Martin had six of his 21 points in the final 2 minutes to keep Golden West back.

Rancho Santiago shot 63% (34 of 54) from the field and made 24 of 31 from the free-throw line. Muller-Stach made nine of 11 from the field and had a team-high 21 points. Steve Moser added 18 and Kevin Anderson 14 for Golden West. Golden West shot 60% (34 of 57) and was 17 of 24 from the line.

Riverside 76, Cypress 74 (OT)--Kwane Joyner made a short jumper with 2 seconds left in overtime for host Riverside (10-1, 25-8). Cypress (13-14, 5-5) blew a nine-point lead with 1:57 left in regulation. Mike Varos scored 29 for Cypress, and Vince Hizon scored 20. Bobby Joyce scored 22 for Riverside, including 16 in the second half and two in overtime.

Fullerton 67, Orange Coast 60--Mike Goff scored 23 points and Darryl Griffin 18 to lead Fullerton (18-10, 3-7) at OCC. It was the fifth consecutive loss for OCC (19-10, 4-6).