For their second victory in a row, the City College men’s basketball team held off a late-game run from Moorpark College to beat them 65-63 Wednesday night at the Sports Pavilion.
City College got off to a fast 11-0 start. Their strong opening prevented any run that Moorpark attempted. The Vaqueros entered halftime up 38-32 and remained strong throughout the second half.
“It’s a good starting point and we feel ready as we get deeper into league,” said Drayten Howell (No.12). “Two wins in a row feel great, especially after coming off an 11 game losing streak.”
This victory against Moorpark is City College’s fourth win of the season.
City College’s defense succeeded in keeping Moorpark out of the paint throughout the game, forcing them to take many missed outside shots.
“We were able to hold off any runs they tried to make,” said head coach Morris Hodges. “We also defended the three point line very well. I think they only made three in the second half.”
Missed opportunities and excessive turnovers kept City College from pulling off a larger lead. Their plays, however, hit big shots when needed to be made.
Tyler Crandall (No.34) dominated the court as he made more than half his shots from the field, grabbed nine rebounds, and assisted four baskets. Crandall took three charges in the second half and had two key offensive putbacks.
“I was just being patient and picking my spots out there,” Crandall said. “The defense also played great tonight.”
Robert Hutchins (No.15) hit critical shots throughout the second half. His highlights of the game included a corner shot initiated by a great skip pass from Howell. This shot stopped a Moorpark run and forced them to call a timeout.
City College gained an eight point lead after back-to-back layups by Crandall and Chris Givens (No.24). This lead went from eight to two due to costly turnovers to Moorpark down the stretch.
A steal and layup by Howell sealed the win for the Vaqueros with 15 seconds on the clock. He credits the Vaqueros’ win to their hard work on defense during practice.
“All I was thinking about was now,” said Howell. “I wasn’t thinking about my mistakes throughout the game.”
The team has stuck together through this tough season. Their hard work is starting to pay off.
“We’ve had a lot of adversity this season, but the guys have hung in and battled,” said head coach Hodges. “They deserve to be rewarded for their hard work.”
City College will look to continue their winning streak as they travel to Ventura College for their next game at 7 p.m., Jan. 28th in Ventura. Ventura shares first with Cuesta College.
