COMMUNITY COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL : Saddleback Slows Down in Late Going, Falls, 72-66

Saddleback, which had several chances in the final minute, failed to convert any of them and lost to host Long Beach, 72-66, Saturday in a men’s basketball regional final.

Long Beach (29-6) advanced to the State tournament, which starts Thursday at UC Irvine. The loss marks the third consecutive season Saddleback has been beaten in a regional final. The Gauchos end their season, 23-9.

Tes Whitlock made two free throws with 1 minute 31 seconds left to cut Long Beach’s lead to 69-66, but Saddleback never scored again.

Long Beach’s Marc Neal and Kevin Beal then missed shots and Saddleback’s Antoine Jefferson got the rebound with 57 seconds left.

After a timeout, Derrick Walsh drove to the basket but had the ball stripped by Long Beach’s Marcus Woods with 45 seconds left.

Still, Saddleback had a chance when Long Beach’s Robert Darville missed the front end of a one-on-one with 27 seconds left. But Long Beach’s Woods, the shortest player on the court, got the long rebound, allowing the Vikings to retain possession.

Saddleback fouled Beal with 18 seconds left and he made the first free throw to put Long Beach ahead, 70-66. He missed the second but Darville got the rebound and was fouled. He made both free throws with 10 seconds left.

“The big difference was we couldn’t come up with the big rebound at the end,” Saddleback Coach Bill Brummel said.

The teams were tied at 33 at the half but Saddleback, led by Jefferson, held the advantage early in the second half.

He scored Saddleback’s first 12 points and the Gauchos were ahead, 45-37, with 14:55 left. Saddleback led, 55-47, with 10:02 left when Eric Ambrozich made a short jumper.

Long Beach then switched to a full-court press and the Gauchos started to struggle. Long Beach finally caught Saddleback at 61, with 4:38 remaining.

Chris Blanton made a jumper from the free-throw line to give Long Beach a 63-61 lead with 3:50 left. Saddleback was never tied or in the lead again.

Jefferson finished with 21 points and nine rebounds and Whitlock added 17 and Walsh 15 for Saddleback.