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11.08.06 - Brandon Bell
shoots free throws to help Cerritos
defeat MiraCosta Wednesday night. |
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More Photos |
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The Cerritos College men's basketball
team almost squandered a double-digit lead they held for
the majority of their season-opening game against
MiraCosta College on Wednesday night at Cerritos. The
Falcons, who surrendered the lead with 1:59 left in the
game, fought back and posted an 89-87 win over the
Spartans. Cerritos will now travel to MiraCosta College
on Friday to play Palomar College in a 5:30 p.m.
contest.
The team seemed to have the game well
in hand until a few bad shots and turnovers allowed
MiraCosta to make a run at the Falcons in the final
minutes. After seeing their lead dip under 10 points
(76-67) with 5:17 left in the second half, that lead
started to slip away when the Spartans Daniel Phair
netted a three-pointer with 3:01 left to tie the game at
77-77. But freshman center
Brandon Bell
(St. John Bosco
HS) netted two free throws to give the
Falcons a 2-point lead. MiraCosta would eventually take
a three-point lead (83-80) with 1:59 after a
three-pointer from Bethel Hailemichael, but a free throw
and subsequent basket by freshman guard
Clyde Thomas
(Long Beach
Jordan HS) drew the teams even again.
Thomas, who finished the game with 16
points, buried a three-pointer with 57 seconds left to
give the Falcons an 86-83 edge. Freshman
Jerell Elder
(Long Beach
Millikan HS) made one of two free throws
with 15 seconds remaining to give Cerritos an 87-85
lead. The Spartans were looking to draw even again, but
tight defensive pressure forced Peter Wofford to turn
the ball over with seven seconds left before freshman
Xavier
Carpenter (Carson
HS) gave the Falcons a four-point edge with
five seconds left. MiraCosta scored at the buzzer to
finish the game at 89-87.
Cerritos had five players in
double-figures, with Thomas leading the way with his 16,
while freshman
Arthur Clark
(Martin Luther
King HS) chipped in with 13 points and five
rebounds. Bell came off the bench to account for 12
points and eight rebounds, while Carpenter and freshman
Andre
Zeumault (Garfield,
WA HS) each finished with 10 points. Elder
dished out eight assists, while Turner and freshman
Demetrius
Turner (King-Drew
HS) both pulled down five rebounds. Phair
led all scorers with 21 points. |
