COMMUNITY COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Cypress’ Victory Impresses Coach

Cypress basketball Coach Don Johnson, who usually doesn’t give out compliments easily, was smiling Saturday night after watching the Chargers in their 78-58 victory over Oxnard in the championship game of the Bill Taormina Classic Saturday at Cypress.

Cypress had six players in double figures, including all five starters.

The Chargers (11-4) were especially impressive in the second half when they turned the game into a rout.

The half was keyed by a 12-0 run early on. It started on a layup by David Boyle that put Cypress ahead, 38-31, with 17 minutes 56 seconds left.

Sam Sabbara added a short jumper about a minute later and Cypress led, 40-31. Boyle then made a steal and a powerful dunk to put the Chargers ahead, 42-31.

The next basket came when Sabbara faked a three-point shot and found Banks wide open under the basket and a 44-31 Cypress lead.

Tim Tillman then had a steal and passed to Boyle who got it upcourt to a charging Sabbara for a layin and a 46-31 Cypress lead.

Anthony Livingston then had a steal, passed to Boyle, who got it back to Livingston for a dunk at 13:59 and Cypress was up, 48-31.

Cypress shot 61% (30 of 49) for the game including 64% (18 of 28) in the second half.

“That was as a good a second half as we have played all season,” Cypress Coach Don Johnson said.

Sabbara, a sophomore guard and Tillman, a sophomore forward off the bench, each had 14 for the Chargers. Tillman also had a team-high seven rebounds.

Sabbara was also selected as the tournament’s most valuable player.

Banks scored 13 points, and Boyle and Robbie Shelton, making his first start of the season, had 11 points each. Banks was two of two from the free-throw line and has now made 27 consecutive free throws this season. His 27 in a row ties for second-best at Cypress with Vince Hizon (1988-90), who is currently playing at Biola.

Banks, a sophomore forward, has a ways to go to get the Cypress record held by Grayle Humphrey (1988-90) at 37.

Cypress was coming off a 70-69 victory over Washington Columbia Basin in which the Chargers rallied from a 14-point deficit at one point.

“We were coming off a game we should have lost,” Johnson said. “And I thought we might be a little bit flat, but we did a good job.”

In the championship game of the East Los Angeles tournament:

Fullerton 95, Riverside Community College 88--Bob Terry had 20 points for Fullerton and earned tournament most valuable player honors.

In the Orange Coast Christmas Classic women’s basketball tournament:

Orange Coast 56, El Camino 53--Lisa Orosco scored 12 points for Orange Coast (11-3) which advanced to today’s championship final against Chaffey at 4 p.m.

OCC led, 33-20 at the half then held off El Camino in the second half. Crystal Fields led El Camino with 16 points.

In the Riverside Candy Cane tournament:

Saddleback 74, Pasadena 61--sophomore center Erin Schimeneck scored 16 points and had 15 rebounds and Stephanie Moorman had 28 points as Saddleback (13-2) won the third-place game.

Saddleback was down, 34-32, at the half, but outscored Pasadena, 42-37, in the second half to pull away.

Riverside won the tournament with an 82-75 victory over Southwestern.