Valley’s Brown Scores 29 Points but Santa Monica Wins, 75-67

Randy Brown of Valley College turned out to be the biggest cannon in Saturday night’s Western State Conference South Division showdown between the host Monarchs and Santa Monica.

But the Corsairs had more firepower and defeated Valley, 75-67.

The win was the third in a row for Santa Monica (16-10, 5-1 in division play) and kept the Corsairs in a first-place tie with Canyons.

It was the end of a four-game win streak for Valley (15-12, 4-2) and the Monarchs’ second loss to Santa Monica in the past three weeks.

“They just had too many athletes for us,” Valley Coach Jim Stephens said. “We really had a hard time getting open for shots and that’s a tribute to them. Our guys can hit the shots, but they need to get open to do that.”

Brown, who had averaged 27 points in his previous five games, scored a game-high 29 against Santa Monica, but he did not get much help from his teammates, especially in the last 10 minutes when Valley scored only 14 points.

Appearing fatigued, Brown was limited to three points during that stretch, making one of three shots from the field, missing the front end of a one and one and turning the ball over once. Valley desperately needed someone else to step forward at that juncture, but no one did.

In contrast, Santa Monica’s Dorian Manigo (26 points) scored 14 of the Corsairs’ final 18 points, hitting three of four shots and making seven of eight free throws in the last 8 minutes 20 seconds.

With Santa Monica clinging to a 57-53 lead, the Corsairs went on a 9-2 run to take a 66-55 lead with 5:54 left.

Manigo hit a bank shot to start the run and followed that with a three-point basket. Teammate Kevin Dewig added a scoop shot in the lane to give Santa Monica a 64-53 lead, and after a basket by Valley’s Nathan Hall, Manigo hit two free throws.

“I love being in that position,” Manigo said. “I strive for that. Whenever the game is close like that, I want the ball in my hands.”

Manigo was far from a one-man show, however.

Teammate Mike Demers scored 14 points--12 in the first half--and Syrus Yarbrough added 13--11 in the second half.

“We got a lot of good games from a lot of people,” Santa Monica Coach John McMullen said. “That was Demers’ best half of the season and I thought Devon London did a great job on Brown. I know he scored a lot of points, but he really had to work for them. I think we might have worn him out at the end.”

David Tyner scored 15 points for Valley, but only three of them came in the second half, when the Monarchs hit only nine of 26 shots.

Valley trailed, 40-38, at halftime after leading, 35-27, with 4:05 left.

A four-point play by Brown--he made the free throw after being fouled on a three-point shot--had given the Monarchs their biggest lead, but Santa Monica retaliated by making six of its next seven shots to take the lead, 40-38.