Cypress Beats OCC in Double OT

Orange Coast forced two overtime periods with dramatic shots but failed in a third attempt and lost to visiting Cypress, 101-98, in an Orange Empire Conference men’s basketball game Friday.

The Pirates, who have won four times in overtime this season, lost when David Castleton’s off-balance three-pointer bounced away as time ran out.

Castleton (25 points) banked in a three-pointer from about 23 feet with three seconds left in the first overtime to tie it, 89-89. At the end of regulation, he faked a three-point try and passed to an open Duc Nguyen, who made a 15-footer to tie it, 79-79, with one second left.

But Cypress (8-11, 1-1) was able to rally each time OCC (12-5, 1-1) made a buzzer-beating basket.

“There was a lot of intensity on the bench and the court,” said Cypress forward Towan Oliver. “The team stayed together and pulled through.”

Oliver, who scored eight points in the first overtime, finished with a game-high 35. He made 11 of 19 shots including five of seven three-pointers.

It was also the third consecutive game in which he has established a season-high. Oliver, who came into the game averaging 13.3 points, had scored 26 and 29 points in the two previous games.

Castleton had nine points in the first overtime and two more in the second.

Chris Glass had five points in the second overtime, including two free throws with nine seconds left to give Cypress a 101-98 lead.

Cypress, which had lost eight of nine, had led, 77-72, with 44 seconds left in regulation and led by as many as six in the first overtime and seven in the second.

“I’m really proud of our kids,” Cypress Coach Paul Bottiaux said. “They could have got down but they didn’t. We kept telling them they were playing well.”