SG Andre Murray scored 28 pts, including 5 threes, to lead a hot-shooting #5 Canyons (26-6) squad to a 91-80 win over #12 LA Trade Tech (22-10) Friday night in Valencia. COC shot 53% with 9 threes in the second half to expand a 4-point lead to as many as 22 in what became an easier-than-expected victory.
The win is the first playoff win for the Cougars in the new millennium. And it's their 26th win of the season, tying a school record, set in 1991-92, the least time Canyons had as many as 20 wins in a season.
Canyons never trailed in the game, but led by just 5 points midway through the second half at 60-55. But then came an 18-2 spurt as the Cougars built a 78-57 lead with 5:34 left and cruised from there. The lead reached as many as 22 points before a late Trade Tech rally changed the score, but the COC lead never fell below double digits.
Canyons led by as many as 10 in the first half at 24-14, only to see Trade Tech cut the margin to just 4 points at 26-22. And at halftime, the Cougars still held just a 4-point lead at 37-33 as each team shot just 36% from the floor in the first half.
Early in the second half, Canyons gave a preview of what was to come by pushing the lead to 8 points after threes by SF Dwayne Jones and Murray that made it 47-39. But Trade Tech scored the next 6 points to cut the lead back to 2 points at 47-45.
Canyons then pushed the lead to as many as 9 points at 54-45 after a steal and basket by PG Gino Riney, only to see Trade Tech cut the margin back to 5 points at 60-55.
But then came the 18-2 run that put the Cougars in control. A three by SG Gerardo "Lalo" Zuniga got it started. Then a pair of free throws by Murray made it 65-55. A Murray three pushed the lead to 12 at 68-56, and a third-chance putback basket by PF Jacob Briggs pushed the margin to 14 at 70-56. Then 3-pointers by PF Youssef Hulse and PF Jovonne Augustus made it 76-57. A pair of free throws by Murray after a technical foul on Trade Tech SF Joseph Morgan pushed the lead to 21 at 78-57 with 5:34 left.
For Canyons, which went 16-of-30 from the floor (53%) with 9 threes (12 for the game), Murray led the way with 28 pts, 5 asts and 5 threes. Jones had a strong game as well with 21 pts and 7 rebs. And Riney had a big game with 6 pts, 11 asts and 5 steals, though he did have 8 turnovers. Briggs chipped in with 8 pts and a team-high 9 rebs. And on defense, the Cougars managed 11 blocked shots, including 4 each by Bryson and Augustus.
For Trade Tech, Ctr Louis Hamilton posted a double-double with 21 pts and 10 rebs. PF Rico Myles also had a double-double with 12 pts, 10 rebs and 3 blocks. Morgan went 4-for-16 from the floor but still managed 14 pts, 9 rebs, 5 asts and 5 steals. SG Jeffery Bryant added 12 pts and PG Charlando Brown had 9 pts plus a team-high 7 asts.
With the win, Canyons improves to 26-6 on the season and will face the winner of tomorrow's Compton @ Chaffey game in the next round. Trade Tech finishes 22-10, its best record in several years.
box score
Friday, February 23, 2007 - 5:30 pm
at the Cougar Cage, COC, Valencia
Playoffs - 1st Round
LA Trade Tech Beavers 80:
13-Joseph Morgan, SF - 4/16 fg, 5/11 ft, 9 reb, 5 ast, 5 stl, 4 pf, 14 pts
15-Jeffery Bryant, SG - 4/11 fg, 2/3 ft, 3 reb, 3 pf, 12 pts
21-Charlando Brown, PG - 3/7 fg, 3/6 ft, 5 reb, 7 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 9 pts
24-Rico Myles, PF - 4/11 fg, 4/4 ft, 10 reb, 3 ast, 3 lbk, 1 stl, 4 pf, 12 pts
44-Louis Hamilton, C - 9/13 fg, 3/6 ft, 10 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk, 4 pf, 21 pts
11-Marquis Dubose, G - 1/8 fg, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 pf, 3 pts
31-Imari Thomas, F - 1/3 fg, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 pf, 2 pts
25-Enrique Marshall, G - 0/3 fg, 1 reb, 1 pf, 0 pts
34-Fernando Forde, F - 0/3 fg, 1 stl, 2 pf, 0 pts
32-Kenan Biberovic, G - 2/3 fg, 1/2 ft, 1 reb, 7 pts
team rebounds: 13
Totals: 28/78 fg (.359), 18/32 ft (.563), 56 reb, 19 ast, 5 blk, 8 stl, 23 pf, 80 pts
3-pt fg (6): Bryant 2, Biberovic 2, Morgan, Dubose
Intentional Foul: Bryant
Technical Foul: Morgan
Turnovers (16): Brown 5, Morgan 3, Myles 3, Hamilton 3, Bryant, Marshall
Canyons Cougars 91:
3-Andre Murray, SG - 7/15 fg, 9/10 ft, 4 reb, 5 ast, 3 pf, 28 pts
4-Jacob Briggs, PF - 3/8 fg, 2/3 ft, 9 reb, 1 blk, 1 pf, 8 pts
12-Dwayne Jones, SF - 6/13 fg, 6/7 ft, 7 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk, 4 pf, 21 pts
32-Gino Riney, PG - 2/6 fg, 2/5 ft, 6 reb, 11 ast, 5 stl, 2 pf, 6 pts
34-Everett Bryson, C - 4/11 fg, 0/2 ft, 5 reb, 4 blk, 4 pf, 8 pts
10-Shant Bicakci, G - 1/1 fg, 1/2 ft, 1 reb, 2 ast, 3 pf, 3 pts
21-Youssef Hulse, F - 2/5 fg, 1/2 ft, 2 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 2 pf, 7 pts
23-Jovonne Augustus, F - 3/3 fg, 5 reb, 4 blk, 1 stl, 2 pf, 7 pts
24-Gerardo Zuniga, G - 1/4 fg, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 pf, 3 pts
42-Donjay Kakonde, C - 1 pf, 0 pts
team rebounds: 5
Totals: 29/66 fg (.439), 21/31 ft (.677), 46 reb, 23 ast, 11 blk, 8 stl, 23 pf, 91 pts
3-pt fg (12): Murray 5, Jones 3, Hulse 2, Augustus, Zuniga
Turnovers (19): Riney 8, Hulse 3, Augustus 3, Bryson 2, Murray, Briggs, Jones
Halftime Score: Canyons 37, Trade Tech 33
Updated Records: Canyons (#5 seed) 26-6, Trade Tech (#12 seed) 22-10
Canyons shot 53% with 9 threes in the second half
This win ties the Canyons school mark for wins in a season
