The Bounce Doesn’t Go LACC’s Way : College basketball: Markee Brown’s desperation half-court shot hits the back of the rim as College of Sequoias pulls out an upset victory, 74-73.

In three years, Los Angeles City College Basketball Coach Mike Miller has built one of the most succesfull community college programs in the country.

After a .500 season in 1993, LACC went 27-4 last year, losing in the quarterfinals of the California Community College Men’s Basketball Championships.

The Cubs, who finished the regular season with 31 wins, were ranked No. 1 in the state at one time and expected to be playing in yesterday’s championship game.

However, two free throws by Brian Davis with 1.9 seconds remaining in the game gave College of Sequoias a 74-73 upset win over the third-seeded Cubs in a quarterfinal game Thursday at the Bren Events Center in Irvine.

“The first free throw felt good,” said Davis, who scored eight points in the game. “I was shaky on the last one.”

LACC had one last chance to win, but Markee Brown’s half-court shot bounced off the back of the rim along with the Cubs’ best season in school history.

“It’s a tremendous disappointment,” said Miller, whose name has been mentioned as one of the possible candidates for the USC head-coaching job. “We didn’t play well. It’s a bad time to have a ‘C’ effort in an ‘A’ game.”

Derrick Brown certainly received an “A” for effort, scoring 27 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

The Southern California Athletic Conference co-MVP hit a short eight-foot jumpshot to give LACC a 73-72 lead with three seconds left in the game.

“Coach designed the play for me to take my man and score,” said the 6-foot-6 Brown, who will likely sign with Providence College. “We thought we had (the game won) after my shot.”

LACC’s premature celebration allowed Davis to receive a length-of-the-court inbounds pass at the free-throw line before being fouled by Terance Askew.

Davis swished his first free throw before rattling-in the game-winner.

“Our defense was lousy,” Miller said. “We didn’t guard anyone and we didn’t rebound.”

Askew, who scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half, split a pair of free throws to bring LACC within 70-69 with .37 seconds left.

Guard Markee Brown, perhaps the Cubs best all-around player, had another solid performance with 18 points, nine assists, five rebounds and a steal.

“I was satisfied with the way I played,” Brown said. “I let the game come to me and tried to make things happen for other players.”

LACC had problems the entire game containing the penetration of Sequoia guards Joe Wyatt and Glenn Lyles. Wyatt, who scored a team-high 16 points, had six assists and was two-of-three from the three-point line. Lyles added 12 points.

Records: COS 27-7; LACC 33-2.