SG Marcio Lassiter scored 23 pts, including 5 threes, and SG Cornell Little John came off the bench to toss in 15, including back-to-back-to-back treys late in the first half as host #3 City College of San Francisco (16-3) edge #9 Delta (13-6), 74-64, at the CCSF Gym Saturday evening.
Lassiter connected on 7 of 8 shot attempts, making his last 6 shots of the game, and led a hot-shooting Ram squad. CCSF shot 47.5% from the floor for the game, with 11 threes.
Lassiter drained a three to start the game, giving CCSF an early 3-0 lead. The Rams could easily have taken a big lead early on but some faulty foul shooting allowed Delta to stay close. Delta committed the first 7 fouls of the game, putting CCSF into the bonus 6:07 into the game, but the Rams made just 2 of 9 free throws in the early going.
And behind the strong play of PF Michael Nunnally, the Mustangs took an early lead. The 6-9 sophomore would finish with 18 pts and 17 rebs. Baskets by SF Sean Baltinger, PG Stefan Calton and Nunnally made it 6-3 Delta.
CCSF tied the game at 13 when Lassiter finally broke the cold CCSF start from the foul line, making his first two free throws to even the score on the foul that put CCSF into the bonus. But then Delta scored the next 5 points to go ahead, 18-13.
CCSF rallied again, tying the game at 22 on a three by SF Justin Holmes and taking a 26-24 lead moments later, but Delta went back in front and pushed out to a 6-point lead at 34-28 after a three by SG Mike Kirby. That, however, would be biggest lead of the game. And CCSF roared back, scoring the games next 6 points and tying the game on a steal & basket by PG Ron Manigault. After a pair of free throws by Calton put Delta back in front, Little John nailed three consecutive threes to put CCSF ahead, 43-37. And after a pair of free throws by Kirby with 8 seconds seemed to let Delta cut into that lead, Lassiter drained a three at the buzzer ending the first half to give CCSF its biggest lead of the game to that point, 46-39, at the break.
CCSF got a FG+FT 3-point play by Ctr Brandon Wiley to begin the second half, extending the lead to 10 points at 49-39. But then Delta rallied, tying the game at 53 on a putback basket by Ctr Mike Edwards. And a jam by Edwards on a lob pass from Baltinger put the Mustangs ahead, 55-53, with just under 11 minutes to play.
But that Delta lead would be short-lived. CCSF went back in front, 58-56, on a Lassiter three with just under 9 minutes left. A Wiley three extended the margin to 5 at 63-58, and a jumper by Lassiter pushed the margin to 8 points at 67-59 with just under 7 minutes left.
The closest Delta got after that was 5 points at 76-71 after a Nunnally free throw with 2:19 left, but then Lassiter canned a bank shot to make it 78-71. A Calton free throw make it 78-72 with 1:29 remaining, on a play on which CCSF PF Andre Davis fouled out. But that would be as close as Delta would get. Little John made 4 free throws and Manigault made 2 in the final 35 seconds to allow the Rams to clinch the victory.
For CCSF, Lassiter and Little John combined for 8 of the teams 11 threes. But CCSF also got a huge game from Wiley, who finished with 14 pts, 4 rebs, 5 blocks and 4 steals. Manigault flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 9 pts, 8 rebs and 7 asts. And reserve big man Stanley Harris had an impact with 4 pts, 4 blocked shots and a steal.
For Delta, Nunnally topped the scoring and rebounding charts with his double-double. SG Roman Van Allen came off the bench to score 14 pts and grab 3 steals. Baltinger and Kirby each had 9 pts; Baltinger also had 7 rebs while Kirby also dished out a game-high 8 asts. And the 6-10 Edwards made his presence felt, often playing alongside the 6-9 Nunnally and finishing with 7 pts, 8 rebs and 2 blocked shots.
Box score
Saturday, December 30, 2006 5 pm
at CCSF South Gymnasium
Delta Mustangs 74:
3-Sean Baltinger, SF 3/8 fg, 3/4 ft, 7 reb, 1 ast, 9 pts
5-Stefan Calton, PG 1/9 fg, 3/4 ft, 1 reb, 7 ast, 3 pf, 5 pts
20-Mike Kirby, SG 3/9 fg, 2/2 ft, 8 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 9 pts
21-Michael Nunnally, C 8/14 fg, 2/4 ft, 17 reb, 1 ast, 4 pf, 18 pts
23-Benny Flores, PF 3/5 fg, 1/3 ft, 5 reb, 3 pf, 7 pts
15-Jerome Blockmon, F 2/4 fg, 2 reb, 3 pf, 5 pts
4-Roman Van Allen, G 6/12 fg, 1/2 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl, 2 pf, 14 pts
22-Mike Edwards, C 3/5 fg, 1/2 ft, 8 reb, 2 blk, 1 pf, 7 pts
team rebounds: 6
Totals: 29/66 fg (.439), 13/21 ft (.619), 48 reb, 19 ast, 3 blk, 4 stl, 19 pf, 74 pts
3-pt fg (3): Kirby, Blockmon, Van Allen
Technical Foul: Coach Katz
Turnovers (19): Baltinger 7, Calton 5, Kirby 2, Nunnally 2, Van Allen, Edwards, team
San Francisco Rams 84:
4-Brandon Wiley, C 6/8 fg, 1/3 ft, 4 reb, 2 ast, 5 blk, 4 stl, 1 pf, 14 pts
11-Marcio Lassiter, SG 7/8 fg, 4/4 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 4 pf, 23 pts
23-Justin Holmes, SF 2/8 fg, 4 reb, 1 ast, 2 pf, 5 pts
25-Andre Davis, PF 3/7 fg, 2/6 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 5 pf, 8 pts
33-Ron Manigault, PG 3/8 fg, 3/7 ft, 8 reb, 7 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 9 pts
3-Cornell Little John, G 4/8 fg, 4/6 ft, 4 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk, 2 pf, 15 pts
34-Patrick Dreith, C 0/2 fg, 1/2 ft, 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 pf, 1 pt
5-Robert Owens, G 1/6 fg, 2/2 ft, 2 ast, 5 pts
44-Stanley Harris, F 2/4 fg, 3 reb, 4 blk, 1 stl, 2 pf, 4 pts
team rebounds: 2
Totals: 28/59 fg (.475), 17/30 ft (.567), 32 reb, 20 ast, 11 blk, 9 stl, 20 pf, 84 pts
3-pt fg (11): Lassiter 5, Little John 3, Wiley, Holmes, Owens
Fouled Out: Davis 1:29 left
Turnovers (14): Davis 7, Manigault 3, Little John 3, Lassiter
Halftime Score: CCSF 46, Delta 39
Updated Records: CCSF (#3-North, #6-Calif) 16-3, Delta (#9-North, #16-Calif) 13-6
