COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Antelope Valley Rallies to Win in Overtime

Antelope Valley College overcame a seven-point deficit to force an overtime, then rallied past visiting Mt. San Jacinto, 115-107, Saturday night in a Foothill Conference men’s basketball game.

Mt. San Jacinto Coach John Chambers took his team off the court with three seconds left in overtime in protest of the officiating. Seconds earlier he had refused to put another player on the court after Ronald Simpson had fouled out. Mt. San Jacinto played with only four players.

Both benches cleared with 24 seconds to play after Antelope Valley’s Darren Thompson was fouled underneath the Mt. San Jacinto basket. Players from both sides had to be restrained after the game.

“The referees let everything go,” Chambers said. “(Antelope Valley) committed some flagrant fouls. They’d better wear shoulder pads when they come to Mt. San Jacinto.”

Said Antelope Valley Coach Newton Chellete: “I’m not going to get into word contests with other coaches. I’m sorry the game had to end the way it did. Our kids deserved to win. We made our free throws, they didn’t.”

Thomas sank two free throws with two seconds left in regulation to complete a furious comeback. Leading, 94-87, with 1:05 to play, Mt. San Jacinto (13-8, 2-2 in conference play) hit only one of six free throws in the final minute.

Paul Ernst hit a 20-foot jump shot with 44 seconds to play, Tony Madison made a reverse layup with 31 seconds left and Walter Brooks hit a layup 10 seconds later before Thomas was fouled driving to the basket with two seconds left. Madison and Brooks led Antelope Valley (17-6, 3-1) with 22 points and Ernst had 20.