Jester no joke for GCC in win

Charles Rich

A 72-second stretch that featured three three-pointers might have

alleviated any doubts about Jovan Jester’s recent skid.

The Glendale Community College men’s basketball player had battled

a bit of a shooting slump, but found his rhythm at the right time.

Jester finished with a game-high 30 points -- including 21 from

three-point territory -- to power GCC to a 92-75 victory against Rio

Hondo College in a first-round game of the Vaquero Classic on

Wednesday night.

Jester, a freshman shooting guard, helped spur the Vaqueros with

three consecutive three pointers in a stretch of 1 minute 12 seconds

midway through the second half to give GCC a 92-72 lead.

GCC (6-4) will take on L.A. Pierce College, which opened with

73-63 first-round win against Grossmont College, in a semifinal game

at 8 p.m. Friday. Rio Hondo College (4-4) will take on Grossmont in a

consolation semifinal contest at 4 p.m. Friday.

Jester’s effort helped GCC snap its two-game losing skid, all of

which came at the Rio Hondo Tournament from Dec. 9-10.

Now, in a new tournament, Jester became rejuvenated against Rio

Hondo College.

“I felt comfortable, and we played our style,” said Jester, who

added seven rebounds and three assists. “I think [GCC Coach Brian

Beauchemin] was looking for defense and rebounding from me, but any

kind of offense is gravy.

“When I made those three-pointers, I think that took the heart out

of them.”

Beauchemin agreed.

“He hasn’t been shooting well of late, and his shooting takes

pressure off of our inside game,” said Beauchemin, who won his 450th

game since taking over the program in 1979. “We need him out there

because people are going to double team [forward] Durwin Williams.”

Williams contributed 22 points and 11 rebounds. The 6-foot-6

Williams converted on nine of his 10 free-throw attempts.

The Vaqueros never trailed, and held off a late charge by the

Roadrunners.

“We still have to learn how to close out games,” Beauchemin said.

“We didn’t do a very good job getting the long rebounds, and that led

to them get a lot of second-chance rebounds and points.”

Jester also had four three-pointers in the first half to give the

Vaqueros a 49-38 halftime lead.

The Roadrunners cut the Vaqueros’ lead to 45-36 on a three-pointer

by Tony Langston with 2:28 left in the first half.

Then Jester and Williams, along with strong rebounding from

freshman 6-foot-5 freshman forward Tyler Rose, took control. Rose,

who graduated from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and is the son of baseball

legend Pete Rose, contributed 13 points and eight rebounds in 34

minutes.

Teammate Caleb Newton added seven points and four assists.

The Vaqueros have already defeated L.A. Pierce College this

season. Behind 29 points and eight rebounds from Williams, GCC posted

a 64-63 nonleague road win Nov. 17.