Glendale Beats the Clock, Valley in 93-92 WSC Win

One of the clocks in the Glendale College gym is broken; the other doesn’t work well, and it’s little wonder considering the way the Vaqueros treat them.

In dictating the first-half pace against Valley, Glendale used nearly every possession to squeeze a few more seconds out of the clock and then made it work overtime, twice to be exact, in a 93-92 Western State Conference victory Wednesday night.

“Our plan was to be precise on offense and try to get good shots,” said Glendale Coach Brian Beauchemin, whose team built a 36-32 halftime lead with a patient offense.

Glendale (22-10, 10-4) won its fifth consecutive WSC game. Valley (21-10, 12-2), meanwhile, lost a chance to clinch sole possession of the WSC title.

Valley forced the pace in the second half and quickly built a seven-point lead, but Glendale battled back and held a 63-62 lead with less than a minute remaining.

Valley’s McArthur Wells made one of two free throws with 36 seconds left in regulation to send the game into the first overtime at 63-63. Then Valley’s Andre Harrell sent the game into a second overtime with a stunning, fall-away three-point shot from the deep right corner to beat the buzzer.

Entering the second extra period with the score tied, 78-78, Glendale finally pulled away, making eight of 10 free throws.

“These guys have come together,” Beauchemin said. “They’re playing well right now, and this is the right time to be playing well.”

“I think we played not to lose instead of to win the game,” Valley Coach Jim Stephens said. “We got beat by a good basketball team. They’ve been playing just as well as we have.”

Both teams have played five games in the past 10 days, and Glendale’s battered crew shows the wear and tear.

However, Bruce Heicke (injured hand) and Dave Swanson (black eye) launched a three-point barrage. Heicke (14 points) scored two three-point baskets and Swanson made four, including one in each overtime, and finished with 22 points.