This Week's Sports Schedule

After spending the last 10 years as the head coach of the Los Alamitos High boy's basketball team, former Cerritos College men's basketball player and assistant coach Russ May has returned to the Falcon program. May replaces Jesse Teplitzky, who resigned last week after just one year as the head coach. May was a finalist for the Cerritos job last year before Teplitzky was hired. He said he was happy thinking he'd spend the rest of his career at Los Alamitos before being contacted by Cerritos after Teplitzky's resignation. But, in the same breath, he was happy to be given the chance to coach the Falcons...[more]

07.31.09 - Six Cerritos basketball players move on
Six members of the South Coast Conference South Division champion Cerritos College men's basketball team have announced their plans for next season. The entire team, meeting together for the last time, talked about their time with the Falcons, who finished the season with a 15-14 record and were eliminated in the second round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs by eventual state runner-up Saddleback College, 65-61...[more]

02.28.09 - Falcons just miss out on scoring an upset
When freshman forward Marcellus Jackson (Independence HS) converted two free throws with 4:41 remaining in the second half, the Cerritos College men's basketball team was holding a slim 56-54 lead over top-seeded Saddleback College in the second round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs. But the Gauchos scored the next nine points, while the 17th-seeded Falcons didn't score again until there was 21.1 seconds left in the game. By the time the clock ran out Saddleback (26-7) was advancing with a 65-61 win, which ends the Cerritos season at 15-14...[more]

02.25.09 - Cerritos gets past LA Valley, 80-76
The Cerritos College men's basketball team did just enough to post an 80-76 Southern California Regional Playoff win over host Los Angeles Valley College on Wednesday night. The Falcons (15-13), seeded #17 out of the 20 teams, will now advance to the second round, where they will face top-seeded Saddleback College (25-7) at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday night. The team has now won 10 games in a row and 13 of their last 14 games...[more]

02.23.09 - Falcons open playoffs at LA Valley
Although they won the South Coast Conference South Division and finished the regular season on a nine-game winning streak, the Cerritos College men's basketball team will still have to open the Southern California Regional Playoffs on the road this Wednesday. The Falcons were seeded #17 out of 20 teams and will have to travel to #16-seeded Los Angeles Valley College in a 7:00 p.m. matchup. The winner of the game will have to face top-seeded Saddleback College (25-7) on the road Saturday night...[more]

02.23.09 - Team has six receive conference awards
For the Cerritos College men's basketball team, their late-season surge not only will send them into the playoffs after winning the South Coast Conference South Division, it also earned five of the players all-conference awards, while first-year head coach Jesse Teplitzky was named the Coach of the Year. Teplitzky, who came to Cerritos after one year as the head coach at Santa Monica College, has led the team to wins in 10 of their last 11 games, as they went on to win the division with a 9-1 record, while they are 14-13 on the season...[more]

02.20.09 - Cerritos gets past LA Harbor, 79-73
Although it wasn't as dominating as their more recent wins, the Cerritos College men's basketball team did exactly what they needed to do in order to close out their regular season on a winning note. The Falcons, who have now won nine in a row and 10 of their last 11 games, pulled out a 79-73 South Coast Conference South Division win over Los Angeles Harbor on Friday night. Cerritos, champions of the South Division, end their regular season record at 14-13, while they went 9-1 in divisional play. The winning record is the first for the team since they started the season 2-1. The Falcons will find out on Monday where they fit in with the 20 teams that will make the Southern California Regional Playoffs. The top six seeds will receive a first round bye, which will be played next Wednesday at the home of the higher-seeded team.

Already in post-season form, the Falcons shot 53.5% against the Tartars and drained 10-of-16 three-pointers. Leading the shower of three-pointers was sophomore guard Jeremiah Barnes (Los Altos HS), who knocked down 5-of-6 and scored a season-high 17 points. Freshman guard Brian Barner (Palisades HS), moved into sixth place on the school's single-season record for most three-pointers made in a season when he drained two more to give him 76 on the year. The school record of 97 was set by Marco McCain during the 1998-99 season...[more]

02.18.09 - Surging Falcons ready themselves for playoffs
After their 89-63 South Coast Conference South Division win by the Cerritos College men's basketball team over ECC Compton Center on Wednesday night, the Falcons have just one regular season game remaining. The Falcons, winners of their last eight games, are now 13-13 overall, while they clinched the divisional title outright with an 8-1 record. Cerritos will close out the regular season on Friday at 7:30 p.m. against Los Angeles Harbor College and then wait until Monday to find out where they will be seeded in the Southern California Regional Playoffs, which get underway next Wednesday...[more]

02.13.09 - Win over Long Beach City clinches share of title
One month ago, the Cerritos College men's basketball team was watching their season slide out from under them, as they were mired in a seven-game losing slump and a 4-12 record. Fast forward to the second week of February and the Falcons are assured at least a tie of first place in the South Coast Conference South Division after a convincing 76-60 win at Long Beach City College on Friday night. The victory was the seventh in a row for Cerritos, who are now 12-13 overall and 7-1 in divisional play with two games to go. They will host ECC Compton Center next Wednesday and then close out the regular season next Friday at home against Los Angeles Harbor College....[more]

02.11.09 - Last-second basket gives Falcons win
Freshman guard Brian Barner (Palisades HS) drained a three-pointer from the top of the key with 0.8 seconds left in regulation to give the Cerritos College men's basketball team a 57-56 South Coast Conference South Division win over El Camino College on Wednesday night. With the win, the Falcons sixth in a row and seventh in their last eight games, puts their season record at 11-13, while they are 5-1 in divisional play. The win sets up a showdown against cross-town rival Long Beach City College on Friday night at 7:30 p.m., with the title on the line, as both teams are 5-1 in the division. In their first meeting, Cerritos handed the Vikings a 78-48 defeat, the worst loss in the history of their rivalry...[more]

02.06.09 - Cerritos extends win streak to five games
Sophomore forward Gregory Preer (St. Vincent-St. Mary (OH) HS/Ashland (OH) University) led the Cerritos College men's basketball team with 20 points and pulled down a season-high 17 rebounds to lead the team to a 75-59 home win over Los Angeles Southwest College on Friday night. The South Coast Conference South Division win keeps the Falcons in at least a tie for first place, as they won their fifth game in a row. Cerritos (10-13 overall, 5-1 SCC) will now travel to El Camino College for a 7:30 p.m. South Division game on Wednesday. It was the Warriors that handed the Falcons a 65-64 loss in their first meeting.

The outcome of the game was very similar to the first meeting between Cerritos and LA Southwest, a 68-64 Falcon win. Both teams played it close to the vest early in the first half until Cerritos went on a 22-8 run in the final 7:01 to take a 43-34 lead into halftime. Preer, who scored 12 of his points in the first half, dominated the offensive boards, pulling down six in the first half and finished with 10 on the night...[more]

02.04.09 - Miraculous comeback leads Falcons
Down by seven points (91-84) with 2.8 seconds left in the second half, the Cerritos College men's basketball team turned in one of the most amazing comebacks in all of basketball on Wednesday night in a South Coast Conference non-conference game at Los Angeles Trade-Tech College. The Falcons scored seven points to send the game into overtime and went on to record a 107-100 win that pulled their season...[more]

01.30.09 - Third win in a row keeps team in first place
Through the first round of the South Coast Conference South Division play, the Cerritos College men's basketball team is locked in a tie for first place with Long Beach City College at 4-1. The Falcons, who won their third game in a row with their 71-50 win at Los Angeles Harbor College on Friday night, are now 8-13 on the season. They get a break from divisional play on Wednesday when they travel to Los Angeles Trade-Tech College for a 7:30 p.m. crossover game...[more]

01.28.09 - Cerritos continues to show progress
In the last two games, the Cerritos College men's basketball team has shown that they appear have to worked past their early-season struggles and have turned in outstanding performances. On Friday, the Falcons posted a 30-point win over Long Beach City, while the team continued to excel, as they led ECC Compton Center by as many as 22 points before settling for a 74-60 South Coast Conference South Division road win. Cerritos (7-13 overall, 3-1) are riding their second two-game winning streak of the season and will play their second of three straight road games on Friday at Los Angeles Harbor College...[more]

01.23.09 - Falcons blow past Vikings, 78-48
They've been facing each other for 40 years and have squared off 97 times, but Friday night's Cerritos College men's basketball game against Long Beach City College saw something none of the other games ever experienced. The Falcons (6-13, 2-1), who have struggled most of the season, put together their best game of the season and the results showed, as the team recorded a 30-point win (78-48). The largest margin of victory prior to Friday's South Coast Conference South Division game at Cerritos was a 99-70 win by the Vikings (9-12, 2-1) in 1990. The 30-point win was the first time either team has beaten their opponent by as many points, as the two teams have now each won 48 games in the series.

Cerritos will now play their next three games on the road, opening with a South Division game at Compton College at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday night.

01.21.09 - Tough losses the theme of the season
Faced with the final shot of the game, the Cerritos College men's basketball team called timeout with 19.6 seconds remaining in their South Coast Conference South Division home game against El Camino College on Wednesday night. The Falcons decided to take the ball to the basket when the clock went under 10 seconds, with sophomore guard Jeremiah Barnes (Los Altos HS) driving the baseline. He missed the first shot, but sophomore guard Van Girard (Gahr HS) was under the basket for the potential game-winning basket. But his tip rolled off the back of the rim and the Falcons suffered a 65-64 loss to the Warriors. Cerritos (5-13 overall) will now host cross-town rival Long Beach City College at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in another divisional game...[more]

01.16.09 - Losing streak snapped at seven games
The Cerritos College men's basketball team found the perfect time to snap their seven-game losing streak. The Falcons opened South Coast Conference South Division play at Los Angeles Southwest College on Friday night with a 68-64 victory. The win improved their season mark to 5-12, while they are 1-0 in the division, with the Cougars dropping to 7-13 and 0-1. The Falcons will now return home to host El Camino College at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday...[more]

01.14.09 - Falcons see second half lead slip away
With 7:05 left in the second half, the Cerritos College men's basketball team was holding on to a 58-53 South Coast Conference crossover lead over visiting Mt. San Antonio College. But, over the next 4:42, the Mounties outscored the Falcons, 13-0 and went on to post a 74-67 win. The loss by Cerritos (4-12) was their seventh in a row, as they prepare to start the South Division on the road at 7:30 p.m. on Friday against Los Angeles Southwest College.

Mt. SAC (9-12) turned to Aarron Chamberlin during their 13-0 run, as he accounted for nine straight points and ended the game shooting 11-of-13 from the field for a game-high 26 points. He was able to work inside and scored three straight back-door buckets, which accounted for just a portion of his 20 second-half points...[more]

01.09.09 - Cerritos still looking for the right combination
For the Cerritos College men's basketball team, the 2008-09 season has been one of growing pains. The Falcons, with a only three returning players and a new coaching staff, dropped their sixth game in a row, a 79-60 home court decision at the hands of Pasadena City College in a South Coast Conference cross-over game. The night didn't start well, as a scoreboard malfunction delayed the game 45 minutes. But for the Falcons, who trailed the entire night, things didn't get any better. Cerritos (4-11) will try to snap their losing streak when they host Mt. San Antonio College at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday...[more]

12.19.08 - Team swept out of Glendale Tournament
The Cerritos College men's basketball team made a quick exit out of the Glendale Tournament, as they were defeated in their first two games to get eliminated. In the opener, they dropped an 81-74 decision to Antelope Valley College and then were defeated by Orange Coast 77-60 to drop their season record to 4-8. The team will now travel up north to the San Jose City Tournament and open on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. against Santa Rosa College...[more]

12.13.08 - Cerritos loses in tournament finals
For the second time this season, the Cerritos College men's basketball team reached the finals of a tournament, only to be turned away in the championship game. Over the weekend, the Falcons competed in the San Diego Mesa Tournament and opened with a convincing 94-71 win over the host Olympians. That sent them to the finals of the four-team tournament, where they dropped a 62-52 game against Reedley College to put their record at 4-6 on the year. In their first tournament of the year, Cerritos reached the finals of the Irvine Valley Tournament. They will now compete in the Glendale Tournament over the weekend...[more]

12.10.08 - Poor shooting does in Falcons, 87-72
The Cerritos College men's basketball team converted only 11-of-26 free throws and shot just 39.1% from the field, which resulted in an 87-72 non-conference home loss to College of the Canyons on Wednesday night. By contrast, the Cougars (3-8) converted 23-of-29 from the free throw line and made 45.6% of their field goals. The Falcons (3-5) will now travel to the San Diego Mesa Tournament on Friday and will open with the host Olympians.

Although they led by as many as 11 points (19-8) with 13:46 remaining in the first half, Cerritos struggled over the next eight minutes and didn't score their next point until a three-pointer from freshman guard Brian Barner (Palisades HS) with 5:38 remaining. By then, the Cougars had gone on a 15-0 run that was halted by the trey by Barner. Cerritos would regain the lead by halftime at 29-25, but once again Canyons had an answer by outscoring the Falcons, 11-3 before halftime for a 36-30 advantage...[more]

12.03.08 - Falcons win first at home
After opening up a 15-point lead (39-24) at halftime in their South Coast Conference crossover game at home on Wednesday night, the Cerritos College men's basketball team didn't score their first point in the second half until 7:09 had expired. By then, their lead over East Los Angeles College had dwindled to a 39-37 advantage. However, sophomore guard Van Girard (Gahr HS) scored 10 consecutive points over the next 1:35 to regain a double-digit lead and the Falcons went on to post a 70-60 victory. The win by Cerritos (3-4) was their first at home for first-year head coach Jesse Teplitzky, while the Huskies dropped to 4-5 on the year. The Falcons will look for their second win in a row when they host College of the Canyons at 6:30 p.m. next Wednesday.

In the second half, East LA closed to within seven points (53-46) with 4:56 remaining. After freshman guard Brian Barner (Palisades HS) hit a running jumper with 4:06 left to give the Falcons a 57-46 lead, the team scored the remainder of their points from the free throw line. As a team, Cerritos went 13-of-17 from the free throw line in the final 4:06, with freshman Jonathan Garcia (St. John Bosco HS) converting all four of his attempts, while freshman Jeremy Pope (Mayfair HS) made three-of-four...[more]

11.29.08 - Third straight loss another close one
Despite 25 points and five assists from freshman guard Brian Barner (Palisades HS), the Cerritos College men's basketball team lost their third straight close game in a row with an 85-84 setback at Los Angeles City College on Saturday night. The Falcons (2-4) have lost their last three games by a combined seven points, while their other loss was by seven points. The team will look to regroup on Wednesday when they host East Los Angeles College at 7:30 p.m. in a South Coast Conference crossover game...[more]

11.21.08 - Cerritos misses final shot in 65-62 loss
Down by eight points (58-50) with 5:39 remaining in their non-conference home game against Cypress College on Friday night, the Cerritos College men's basketball team slowly worked their way back into the game trailed 63-62 with 49 seconds left after a basket by freshman Jeremy Pope (Mayfair HS). But the Chargers Tim Austin scored on a layup with 18 seconds left with the Falcons looking for the last shot. After burning their last timeout with 7:29 left in the game, Cerritos worked the ball into three-point range, where Pope's shot was off line and the Falcons dropped a 65-62 decision. The loss put Cerritos at 2-3 on the year, while Cypress is also 2-3. The team will now travel to Los Angeles City College next Saturday for a 7:30 South Coast Conference crossover game.

With three players already fouled out and sophomore guard Van Girard (Gahr HS) out the entire second half with an injury, the Falcons were shorthanded against a Cypress team that boasted more height and depth. But after a pair of free throws from freshman Leo Arnold (Santa Monica HS) put Cerritos up 50-46 with 8:16 remaining, it would take 3:03 before the team scored their next basket. In the meantime, the Chargers, led by a pair of three-pointers from John Staats, highlighted a 12-point swing before a short jumper by freshman guard Brian Barner (Palisades HS) with 5:03 ended the drought...[more]

11.15.08 - Team reaches tourney final; loses 57-54
After reaching the championship game of the Irvine Valley Tournament, the Cerritos College men's basketball team suffered a 57-54 loss at the hands of Long Beach City College in the finals on Saturday afternoon. The loss drops the Falcons to 2-2 on the year, as the team will now host Cypress College at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The team opened the tournament with wins over College of the Canyons (64-61) and Cuyamaca College (57-51) to reach the finals...[more]

11.13.08 - Coach gets first win as a Falcon
Cerritos College men's basketball head coach Jesse Teplitzky was relieved to get his first win of his Falcon career on Thursday night, as his team pulled out a 64-61 win over College of the Canyons in the first round of the Irvine Valley Tournament. After opening the season with a loss to MiraCosta College last Friday, he felt as though their next opportunity couldn't come fast enough. With the victory, the Falcons (1-1) will now face Cuyamaca College at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Cuyamaca defeated Teplitzky's old team, Santa Monica College, 62-48 in their first round game...[more]

11.07.08 - Cerritos opens season with home loss
Through the first 37:30 of their 2008-09 season opener, the Cerritos College men's basketball team had played MiraCosta College to a 61-61 tie. However, the Spartans outscored the Falcons, 11-4 the remainder of the game and recorded a 72-65 non-conference win over Cerritos at The Aviary on Friday night. The game was also the first for new head coach Jesse Teplitzky. The Falcons will now compete in the Irvine Valley Tournament, which will take place next Thursday through Saturday and the team will open with College of the Canyons at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday.

Sophomore guard Van Girard (Gahr HS) tied the game at 61-61 with a short jumper after Cerritos had opened up a four-point lead (57-53) with 5:11 remaining in the second half. But Spartan CJ Harris took the game over in the final two minutes and scored six straight points. Steven Hernandez drained a three-pointer from the baseline with 2:13 left to put the Spartans up by three, 64-61 and Cerritos attempted to tie the game with a three-pointer of their own from freshman guard Sean Chennault (Ben Franklin, PA HS), but his miss was handled by Harris, who scored two of his game-high 22 points. Harris added to more on a breakaway after sophomore guard Jeremiah Barnes (Los Altos HS) saw his long rebound land in the hands of Harris...[more]

06.24.08 - Cerritos announces hiring of new head coach
For just the eighth time in school’s 51-year history and fourth time in the last 26 years, the Cerritos College men’s basketball program will be introducing a new head coach. After serving as the head coach for the past nine years, Gary Cain stepped down when he was appointed the college’s Coordinator of Judicial Affairs. Taking over a program that went 17-14 last year and advanced to the second round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs will be Jesse Teplitzky, who spent last year as the head coach at Santa Monica College...[more]