COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Rancho Santiago Wins, Clinches Title

What was considered certain from the start became fact Saturday when Rancho Santiago clinched the Orange Empire Conference men’s basketball title with a 96-85 victory over Fullerton in front of about 500 at Fullerton.

Rancho Santiago (28-2, 10-1) started the season as the state’s top-ranked team in the first poll in early November and has remained there since. The Dons won all five tournaments they played in during November and December, and when conference play began Jan. 3, they were the unanimous choice to take the title.

Rancho Santiago has a bye next Wednesday and ends the regular season at home against Riverside Saturday. The Southern California Regional playoffs start Feb. 23 with a field of 32 teams, up from 26 last season.

The Dons were hard-pressed Saturday by Fullerton, which led, 65-63, with 11:07 left. But less than a minute later, Fullerton (14-14, 3-7) had big problems after both starting forwards--Bob Terry and Scott Ferguson--picked up their fourth fouls.

With both on the bench, Rancho Santiago immediately went on a run and led, 77-70, on a dunk by forward Erik Martin with 5:56 left.

Ferguson had returned in an effort to stop the streaking Dons but fouled out with 7:37 left. Terry got his fifth foul with 5:30 remaining, and Rancho Santiago continued to build its lead.

Rancho Santiago outscored Fullerton, 21-8, in the final 7:03 of the first half to take a 49-36 lead and was up, 59-49, with 15:29 to play. But then Fullerton took over, outscoring the Dons, 16-4.

After the game, Rancho Santiago players left the court without any of the celebrating that is the norm for winning a championship.

“It was as if from the get-go the goal by the team was the state title,” Coach Dana Pagett said. “Now I guess they can go for what they wanted.”

Center Corie Blount scored 28 points, 16 in the first half, and had a team-high nine rebounds for Rancho Santiago.

In other Orange Empire Conference men’s basketball games:

Cypress 70, Golden West 53--Saturday’s victory marked the 16th season in the school’s 25 years that Cypress (20-10, 7-3) has won 20 or more games. Sophomore guard Charles Lockard made five of seven three-pointers and totaled 17 points for Cypress. Guard Brian Kenney and center Eric Pauley each added 15 points. Guard Rick Van Scoyoc scored 18 points and Scott Campbell had 14 for Golden West (11-18, 3-8).

Riverside 67, Orange Coast 65--Michael Wenzlaff missed a three-point shot from the baseline with 20 seconds left for Orange Coast (11-16, 2-8). Orange Coast led, 50-42, with 12:44 remaining but went six mintes without scoring, and Riverside (18-13, 5-5) scored 12 consecutive points to take a 54-50 lead.