Valley Puts One Over on Bakersfield, 82-75

Adversity seems to be the right tonic for the ailing Valley College men’s basketball team.

The Monarchs, playing without leading scorer and rebounder Leon Brisport, rallied from a 14-point second-half deficit to defeat Bakersfield, 82-75, in overtime in a Western State Conference South Division game Wednesday night at Valley.

Valley (20-6, 4-1 in conference play) moved into a first-place tie with Bakersfield (22-3, 4-1), which had an 11-game winning streak and was ranked No. 2 in the state.

It also cleansed the sour taste left in the Monarchs’ mouths from a 73-71 loss to fourth-place Glendale on Saturday.

Brisport, a 6-foot-9 sophomore from Brooklyn, sat out against Glendale and remains sidelined indefinitely because of a sore tendon in his knee.

“We had to come out and show we had a lot of backbone,” said guard Germaine Chase, who had 19 points and seven rebounds. “We had a lot of things stacked against us, but we stuck together.”

In Brisport’s absence, forwards Steve Ernisse and Faheem Nelson stepped to the fore.

Ernisse, a 6-5 freshman from Canyon High, came off the bench and scored 23 points--including four free throws in overtime--and had 11 rebounds.

Nelson, a 6-8 sophomore from Fresno Bullard, started in place of Brisport and scored 18 points.

Their efforts were needed, considering the Renegades’ size advantage. Center Brandon Kurtz (6-10, 255 pounds) and forward Shawn Daniels (6-6, 255) each scored 18 points and filled the middle with more than 500 pounds.

Kurtz finished with 10 rebounds, Daniels 11.

“All we had to do was get rebounds, crash the boards,” Ernisse said. “They’re a big team. Their guys made it tough to get inside.”

Valley, which missed all 10 of its three-point shots in the first half, trailed much of the way and fell behind, 45-31, on Kurtz’s inside basket early in the second half.

Valley made five of seven three-pointers after halftime, including two by Chase.

“We are a three-point-shooting team,” Valley Coach Doug Michelson said. “We’re going to keep shooting them.”

The Monarchs launched a run that included three-point baskets by Ernisse and Chase and pulled to within 53-52 on a three-pointer by Tyree Williams.

Seconds later, Williams made a steal and another three-pointer to give Valley its first lead since 20-18.

Valley moved ahead, 58-55, on a three-pointer by Chase and held a slim lead until Daniels tied it, 69-69, on an inside basket with 30 seconds left in regulation.

In overtime, Bakersfield moved ahead three times before Valley took the lead for good, 75-74, on a short hook by Nelson.

Ronnie Noel of Valley was fouled after the play and sank both free throws to give the Monarchs a three-point lead and Bakersfield couldn’t catch up.