Johnson Calmly Puts Away Riverside

Riverside’s gym was about as noisy as a community college gym can get when Saddleback’s Semaj Johnson stepped to the free-throw line with 19 seconds left to play.

Saddleback held a one-point lead and as Johnson prepared to shoot, the 30-plus-member Riverside pep band did its best to make as much noise as possible.

But Johnson made both free throws and the Gauchos went on to win, 79-74, in an Orange Empire Conference men’s basketball first-place showdown Wednesday.

Johnson, a freshman forward, said he was calm going to the line.

“Those were my easiest shots of the game,” Johnson said. “Every time I shot I was getting bumped, and on the inside their big men would also give you a shoulder. I took my time, stepped up, and made [my free throws].”

Johnson finished with 14 points, making five of eight from the field.

Saddleback had a seemingly comfortable lead, 74-65, with 1:10 left, but the Gauchos missed six of seven free throws and that enabled Riverside to rally.

Johnson’s free throws gave Saddleback a 77-74 lead and Riverside never got a chance at a tying shot because the Gauchos’ Vernon Jackson came up with a steal with 14 seconds left.

Jackson made six of seven shots in the second half, during which he scored 16 of his game-high 20 points. Andre Jackson had 17, 13 of which came in the second half.

Riverside led by as many as eight in the first half, but Saddleback trailed, 35-33, at the break.

Saddleback (15-8, 6-1) ends the first round of conference play a game in front of Riverside (19-8, 5-2) and defending champion Santa Ana.

In other Empire Conference men’s basketball:

Cypress 76, Golden West 62--Cypress (8-16, 1-6) went on runs of 13-0 and 14-0 in the second half to erase a 12-point deficit. Ryan Tenpas scored 20 points to lead the visiting Chargers. Jeff Jensen had 25 points for Golden West.

Irvine Valley 71, Orange Coast 58--Ryan Ellis scored 13 points, Ben Esplin had 12 and Craig Rice and Commander King each had 11 for Irvine Valley (17-7, 4-3).

Santa Ana 74, Fullerton 70--Fullerton’s Rashaun Thomas converted a four-point play with six seconds remaining to cut Santa Ana’s lead to two, but Carlos Romero, who had fouled Thomas on the previous play, made two free throws to seal the victory. Chris Mattice scored 25 points to lead the Dons (17-7, 5-2).

Thomas had 20 points and seven assists for visiting Fullerton (12-12, 3-4).

In Orange Empire Conference women’s games:

Irvine Valley 68, Orange Coast 41--Sophomore guard Phouangmaly Pravongviengkham had 13 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds as the host Lasers (19-4, 7-0) won their 11th in a row and 15th of 17.

OCC, already reeling from the loss of sophomore center Natalie Weeks for the season because of a knee injury, made only four of 34 (12%) shots from the field in the first half and was down, 35-9.

Irvine Valley holds a one-game lead over Santa Ana at the halfway point in the conference race.

Cypress 68, Golden West 53--Tracy Downs scored 22 points and 13 rebounds to lead Cypress (10-14, 3-4).

Riverside 67, Saddleback 63--Five players scored in double figures for visiting Saddleback (7-16, 1-6), led by Christian Carcich with 13.

Santa Ana 76, Fullerton 74--Stephanie Patten had 23 points and 14 rebounds and Rochelle Anthony also scored 23 points for Santa Ana (17-6, 6-1).