Gauchos’ Season Ends With Another Friday Fall

Saddleback’s Friday struggles continued as the Gauchos were bounced from the Southern California men’s basketball playoffs.

College of the Desert, seeded 23rd, dominated inside and beat No. 10 Saddleback, 71-64, in a first-round game in Mission Viejo.

Desert outrebounded Saddleback, 54-38, and also held a significant free-throw advantage. Desert was 23 of 36 and Saddleback four of eight.

The loss brings a frustrating end to an otherwise strong season for the Gauchos (20-11), who shared the Orange Empire Conference title with Riverside.

Saddleback’s Friday troubles started early in conference play when Golden West, which won only one conference game, beat the Gauchos on a Friday.

Saddleback then won nine in a row before falling to Santa Ana on Friday, Feb. 12. Riverside then won half of the conference title with a victory on Feb. 19.

The open round of the playoffs is split over two nights and Saddleback drew the wrong night as far as Coach Bill Brummel was concerned.

“Fridays haven’t been good to us,” he said, “Too bad we didn’t get lucky and play on Saturday.”

Saddleback trailed 33-24 at the half and had two starters--Vernon Jackson and Shemmar Frazier--get third fouls early in the second half. Still, Saddleback rallied to get as close as 54-52 on a short baseline jumper by Jackson with 7 minutes 25 seconds left.

But Desert (20-14) pushed the lead back to six points quickly. Desert also made seven of eight free throws in the final 1:02.