Antelope Valley Weathers Furious Chaffey Comeback, Takes Conference Opener

The Antelope Valley basketball team traveled to Chaffey College on Thursday through the Cajon Pass, allowing the Marauders to avoid the notorious traffic tie-ups downtown commuters face on the rush-hour trek to this community about 50 miles east of Los Angeles.

But at the end of the Foothill Conference opener the Marauders still managed to find themselves in a jam.

Chaffey shrank Antelope Valley’s 11-point halftime lead to two points, and with 11 seconds to play the Panthers had the ball.

Chaffey, however, was unable to get a final shot and Antelope Valley drove home with a 79-77 victory.

Antelope Valley improved to 15-5 overall. Chaffey fell to 7-9.

“We had the game in hand (at halftime),” Antelope Valley guard Paul Ernst said, “but we let them back in.”

Chaffey trailed, 46-35, at intermission but came back behind the outside shooting of Eric Madison and Martell Willis, who scored 20 and 18 points, respectively. Julian Brame (12 points) and Chris Henson (11) added several dunks.

Ernst, however, made what proved to be the game-winning basket when he nailed a three-point basket to put Antelope Valley ahead, 79-72, with 2:50 to play.

A dunk by Henson and a three-point shot by Willis brought Chaffey to within 79-77 with 23 seconds to play.

Ernst missed a free throw and Steve Walker failed to convert a follow shot on the rebound with 11 seconds to play.

Chaffey then frantically brought the ball up court and couldn’t get to within 40 feet of the basket to try a shot.

Antelope Valley, once again, was without point guard Dedan Thomas, who missed last week’s Desert tournament while serving a suspension for missing practice.

Thomas was at Thursday’s game but was not in uniform because of a knee injury.

Sophomore forward Walter Brooks (20 points) and Ernst (19) picked up the slack for the Marauders.

Ernst made five three-point shots to set a school single-season record. Ernst has made 56 three-point shots, breaking the record of 52 shared by Demetrius Jones and I. C. Lewis set during the 1986-87 season.

Antelope Valley forged its halftime lead behind forward Tony Madison and Brooks.

Madison, a freshman from Dorsey High, scored nine points during a four-minute, 17-2 run that began with the score tied, 29-29, with 4:21 remaining in the half.

Madison also handed out two assists to Brooks, who scored six points during the run. Madison finished with 15 points. Walker had 10 points and 13 rebounds and Joe Mantashigian added nine points for the Marauders.

Chaffey had taken a 12-11 lead with 13:30 left in the first half on a dunk by Fabio Ribeiro.