Fullerton Routs Bakersfield at Men’s Basketball Tournament

Sterling Rachal had 14 points as Fullerton beat Bakersfield, 72-46, Thursday in the opening round of the Glendale men’s basketball tournament.

Brian Montonati added nine points for Fullerton (4-7), which plays Los Angeles Southwest in one semifinal at 6 tonight. Southwest beat Orange Coast, 104-100, also in the first round despite a season-high 34 points from OCC’s Duane Curtis.

In the first round of the Pasadena tournament:

Rio Hondo 70, Rancho Santiago 62--Lohnnie Tape had 23 points and Mark Saukkola 19 for Rancho Santiago (7-3).

Santa Monica 66, Golden West 56--Jacy Armbruster had 18 and Ray Jimmerson 12 for Golden West (4-7).

In a nonconference game:

Southwestern 75, Saddleback 71--Saddleback led by six with about five minutes left but scored only one more field goal the rest of the way. Saddleback (6-6) didn’t score any points in the final 2 minutes 56 seconds.

Southwestern’s Runako Pearson knocked Saddleback’s Andre Simmons to the floor with about four minutes left and the ensuing altercation led to seven players being ejected for coming onto the floor from the bench.