College of the Canyons and Citrus played an exciting mens/womens doubleheader January 19th at COC, with both winning teams pulling off tremendous late-game rallies. The COC men overcame a 7-point deficit in OT to claim a 94-89 win, while the Citrus women rallied from 15 points behind in the second half to win, 62-60.
First, the mens game: Canyons (#11 in South, 11-7 overall, 4-0 in conference) overcame a 7-point deficit in overtime to post a 5-point win over visiting Citrus (11-11, 1-4) in WSC-South action Wednesday. SF Carlton Spencer led the Cougars with 26 pts and had 3 key steals in OT for the winners, who also overcame a 6-point deficit in the final 3 minutes of regulation time.
COC led by 11 at halftime, due largely to Citrus' 13 first-half turnovers, but Citrus rallied in the second half behind PF Mark Kelley, the state's leading scorer. The UC-Irvine-bound forward, who averaged 23.7 points per game entering the night, led all scorers with 34 pts and 13 rebs. Kelley's dunk after a steal by PG Aaron Kornegay gave Citrus its first second-half lead at 52-51.
A basket by SG Roshawn Knight gave the Owls a 71-65 lead with 3:24 left in regulation. But then came the first COC comeback. SG Curtis Dunwoody nailed a three and scored on a putback to get the Cougars within 2 points at 72-70. COC still trailed until Spencer scored on a driving layup with 1:08 on the clock to tie the game at 75. And while each team had a chance to score in the final minute of regulation, the game remained 75-75 entering overtime.
In OT, Kelley made 4 FTs and Knight added a basket to help Citrus go ahead by 7 at 83-76. But PG Jordan Surratt coaxed a three into the basket off the front rim to get the Cougars within 2 at 83-81. Then the key play of the game happened when Spencer stole a Chris Minardo pass and went in for the layup. He was fouled by Citrus PF Jason McClure on the play, and McClure also picked up a technical after the play. Spencer then made all 4 FTs to put COC ahead, 85-83.
Minardo atoned for that turnover by drawing a foul and making a pair of FTs to tie the game once again at 85, but Dunwoody then drained a three to put COC back ahead, 88-85. Then Spencer stole another Minardo pass and scored on a layup to make it 90-85. Then Spencer made another steal moments later. Dunwoody ended up with the ball when Citrus committed a foul, and Dunwoody's 2 FTs with 22 seconds left iced the game for COC.
Spencer finished with 26 pts, 8 of which came in OT; he also had 8 rebs (tied for team-high), 5 asts and 4 steals (3 in OT). Dunwoody had 23 pts (6 threes) and a team-best 6 asts. Ctr Andrew Morris came off the bench to add 9 pts and tied Spencer for team honors with 8 boards.
Kelley led all scorers with 34 pts (4 threes) and also claimed game honors with 13 rebs. SG Steve Thompson had 12 pts while Ctr Minardo and Knight had 11 each. Kornegay led all players with 9 asts.
In the womens game, #10 Citrus (15-6, 5-0) took control of the WSC-South race with a dramatic 62-60 win over host and defending conference champion #8 College of the Canyons (11-8, 3-1) in Valencia Wednesday night. The Lady Owls overcame a 15-point second-half deficit for the win.
Early on, COC threatened to run away with the game as the Cougars scored 9 points in 42 seconds to take an 11-1 lead. However, in a sign of things to come, Citrus rallied to take a 14-13 lead on a 1-hander by Ctr Kristie Spain about halfway through the first half. Neither team was able to take more than a 2-point lead the rest of the half until Canyons PG Erica Doyle scored on a layup and then passed to SG Alli Weier after a steal late in the half. Weier was fouled, but converted both FTs to allow COC to take a 32-27 halftime lead.
In the second half, COC jumped out to a 50-35 lead after Ctr Jessi Loring made a 3-pointer and Weier made a pair of FTs after a steal.
But then came the big Citrus comeback. The Owls scored 10 quick points, punctuated by a putback basket by Ctr Alexis Pope, to cut the margin to 50-45. Then Citrus tied the game at 55 on a three by PG Semone Funn and another basket by Pope. And a pair of FTs by SF Sandy Asad allowed the Owls to take a lead at 57-55.
Canyons tied the game on a FG+FT 3-point play by Loring with 1:36 left, but that would be COC's last score of the game. And when Pope was fouled after a rebound, she made a free throw with 40 seconds left to put Citrus back ahead, 61-60. After another COC miss, PF Nicole Cunningham got the rebound and was fouled; she also made 1 of 2 FTs to make it 62-60 with 18 seconds left.
COC had two last chances to tie or win the game, but both shots missed. Doyle's 3-point attempt in the final seconds bounced off the rim, but COC's Weier got the rebound. However, her 14-foot jumper just before the horn also missed. Cunningham grabbed the rebound, and Citrus had the win.
Pope led all scorers with 19 pts and also grabbed a team-best 10 rebs plus 3 blocks and 6 steals. SG Darieshia Morris came off the bench to score 10 pts and grab 8 boards. Funn finished with 7 pts, 7 asts and 5 steals.
Loring led Canyons with 18 pts, and she also had 10 rebs, 4 asts and 3 blocks. Weier added 14 pts. Doyle had 12 pts and a game-high 8 asts, but was scoreless on 0/8 shooting in the second half.
==========
mens box score:
Canyons 94, Citrus 89 (OT)
Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 5:30 pm
at the Cougar Cage, COC, Valencia
Citrus Owls 89:
10-Aaron Kornegay, PG - 2/4 fg, 1/2 ft, 4 reb, 9 ast, 1 stl, 6 pts
20-Steve Thompson, SG - 5/8 fg, 2/2 ft, 4 reb, 2 ast, 12 pts
23-Mike Thompson, SF - 1/5 fg, 3/6 ft, 6 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 5 pts
44-Mark Kelley, PF - 11/19 fg, 8/11 ft, 13 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 34 pts
50-Chris Minardo, C - 3/6 fg, 3/3 ft, 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 11 pts
5-Terance Clark, G - 1/1 fg, 1 ast, 2 pts
45-Jacob Briggs, F - 1/2 fg, 0/2 ft, 1 reb, 1 stl, 2 pts
34-Jason McClure, F - 2/2 fg, 2/2 ft, 7 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk, 1 stl, 6 pts
12-Roshawn Knight, G - 3/3 fg, 5/8 ft, 2 reb, 1 blk, 11 pts
25-Jeremy Black, G - 0/2 ft, 1 reb, 2 ast, 0 pts
team rebounds: 5
Totals: 29/50 fg (.580), 24/38 ft (.632), 44 reb, 23 ast, 6 blk, 6 stl, 89 pts
3-pt fg (7): Kelley 4, Minardo 2, Kornegay
Tech Foul: McClure
Fouled Out: M.Thompson 4:24 in OT, McClure 1:36 in OT
Turnovers (25): Minardo 6, Kornegay 4, M.Thompson 4, S.Thompson 3, McClure 2, Black 2, Kelley, Clark, Briggs, Knight
Canyons Cougars 94:
10-Jordan Surratt, PG - 3/10 fg, 1/3 ft, 4 reb, 5 ast, 9 pts
20-Curtis Dunwoody, SG - 7/19 fg, 3/4 ft, 4 reb, 6 ast, 1 stl, 23 pts
23-Carlton Spencer, SF - 8/19 fg, 7/7 ft, 8 reb, 5 ast, 4 stl, 26 pts
32-Cedric Davis, PF - 1/7 fg, 5/6 ft, 3 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 7 pts
33-Will Broadous, C - 3/5 fg, 2/3 ft, 4 reb, 1 ast, 8 pts
44-Andrew Morris, C - 4/10 fg, 1/3 ft, 8 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 9 pts
3-Landis Scott, G - 2/4 fg, 1/2 ft, 3 ast, 1 stl, 6 pts
24-Brett Bissett, F - 3/4 fg, 0/1 ft, 1 reb, 1 blk, 6 pts
34-Jeremy Lake, F - 0/1 fg, 0/1 ft, 1 reb, 0 pts
team rebounds: 6
Totals: 31/79 fg (.392), 20/30 ft (.667), 39 reb, 26 ast, 1 blk, 8 stl, 94 pts
3-pt fg (12): Dunwoody 6, Spencer 3, Surratt 2, Scott
Fouled Out: Davis 2:32 left in regulation
Turnovers (14): Dunwoody 4, Davis 3, Surratt 2, Spencer 2, Broadous 2, team
Halftime Score: Canyons 44, Citrus 33
End of Regulation: Tied at 75
Updated Records: Canyons 11-7, 4-0 in WSC-S; Citrus 11-11, 1-4
womens box score:
Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 8 pm
at the Cougar Cage, COC, Valencia
Citrus Lady Owls 62:
5-Semone Funn, PG - 3/8 fg, 3 reb, 7 ast, 1 blk, 5 stl, 7 pts
23-Jasmine Redmond, SG - 0/6 fg, 1/2 ft, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 pt
33-Sandy Asad, SF - 2/9 fg, 4/7 ft, 8 reb, 8 pts
22-Nicole Cunningham, PF - 3/6 fg, 2/8 ft, 7 reb, 1 stl, 8 pts
30-Alexis Pope, C - 7/18 fg, 5/6 ft, 10 reb, 3 ast, 3 blk, 6 stl, 19 pts
11-Darieshia Morris, G - 3/7 fg, 3/4 ft, 8 reb, 5 ast, 10 pts
55-Kristie Spain, C - 3/5 fg, 0/2 ft, 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 6 pts
24-Desiree Flores, F - 1/6 fg, 1 reb, 1 ast, 3 pts
4-Lece Hernandez, F - 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 0 pts
team rebounds: 5
Totals: 22/65 fg (.338), 15/29 ft (.517), 48 reb, 19 ast, 5 blk, 14 stl, 62 pts
3-pt fg (3): Funn, Morris, Flores
Tech Foul: Cunningham
Turnovers (20): Funn 5, Redmond 4, Asad 4, Morris 3, Cunningham 2, Flores 2
Canyons Cougars 60:
15-Arpa Gregorian, PF - 1/2 fg, 0/1 ft, 8 reb, 1 blk, 3 stl, 2 pts
12-Janette Galindo, SF - 4/8 fg, 1/3 ft, 9 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 9 pts
43-Jessi Loring, C - 7/12 fg, 3/4 ft, 10 reb, 4 ast, 3 blk, 1 stl, 18 pts
24-Alli Weier, SG - 4/13 fg, 5/5 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 14 pts
4-Erica Doyle, PG - 4/17 fg, 4/5 ft, 1 reb, 8 ast, 1 blk, 3 stl, 12 pts
45-Aleece Bruckner, C - 0/2 fg, 2 reb, 0 pts
32-Christine Raphaelian, F - 1/4 fg, 6 reb, 1 ast, 2 pts
22-Kristen Welch, G - 1/3 fg, 3 pts
25-Melissa Gillard, F - 0/1 fg, 3 stl, 0 pts
team rebounds: 6
Totals: 22/62 fg (.355), 13/18 ft (.722), 44 reb, 17 ast, 5 blk, 12 stl, 60 pts
3-pt fg (3): Loring, Weier, Welch
Fouled Out: Gregorian 12:31 left, Galindo 4:41 left
Turnovers (26): Loring 5, Doyle 5, Weier 4, Galindo 3, Welch 3, Gillard 3, Raphaelian 2, Gregorian
Halftime Score: Canyons 32, Citrus 27
Updated Records: Citrus 15-6, 5-0 in WSC-S; Canyons 11-8, 3-1
