COMMUNITY COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : With Game on Line, Altamirano Leads Rancho Santiago in Overtime

Gene Altamirano made the front end of a one-and-one with 38 seconds left in overtime to help unbeaten Rancho Santiago College to an 80-77 victory over Ventura in the first round of the Pasadena College men’s basketball tournament Wednesday at Pasadena.

Altamirano’s free throw gave Rancho Santiago a three-point lead, 80-77. Ventura missed a three-point shot with three seconds left. Altamirano, a sophomore forward, finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds for Rancho Santiago (12-0), the top-ranked team in the state.

Corie Blount had 21 points and 14 rebounds, Matt Lien 14 points, and Alvin Loftis 12 for Rancho Santiago.

Lester Neal led Ventura (8-4) with 24 points. His tip-in with 15 seconds left in regulation tied the score, 72-72. Leo Parker, a sophomore forward from Tustin High School, had 10 for Ventura, which eliminated the Dons from the state playoffs last spring.

In the Riverside tournament:

Golden West 100, Santa Barbara 79--Center Alex Kreps, playing for the first time in three games because of an ankle injury, scored 20 points to lead Golden West in the first round. Forward Kevin Anderson and guard Ric Van Scoyce had 19 each for Golden West.

J.J. Jenkins and Craig Rice had 12 points each and Tom Dever 11 for the Rustlers (9-4). Golden West dominated from the free-throw line, making 34 of 46. Dever was seven of 10 and Van Scoyce seven of eight to lead Golden West.

Santa Barbara committed 36 fouls and had three players foul out. Golden West was called for 20 fouls.

Golden West plays Grossmont today in the second round of the 16-team tournament.

Citrus 90, Fullerton 82--Fullerton (6-5) led, 38-32, with about five minutes left in the first half but was outscored, 17-2, the rest of the half.

Citrus never trailed in the second half. Mike Goff led Fullerton with 25 points. The Hornets played without Rashone Lewis, their leading scorer, who had to take a final exam.

Bryant Carter led Citrus (5-6) with 23 points. Fullerton plays Mt. San Antonio today at noon in the consolation round.

In nonconference women’s basketball:

Saddleback 52, Palomar 48--Kristen Okura scored 14 points and had 10 rebounds for host Saddleback (6-6). Shannon Garnos added 12 points for the Gauchos.

Fullerton 85, San Bernardino Valley 48--Candi Burnett scored 14 points to lead Fullerton (6-5), which had six players in double figures.