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Mt. SAC Men’s Basketball Secures Another Victory in Thrilling Finish Against Cerritos College

Ryan Wheeler rises above the defense for a dunk during Mt. SAC's 90-82 victory over LA Southwest College.
Ryan Wheeler rises above the defense for a dunk during Mt. SAC's 90-82 victory over LA Southwest College.

Norwalk, Calif.—The Mt. SAC Men's Basketball Team continued their exciting season with a nail-biting 70-67 victory over Cerritos College on Friday, January 10. Following this game, the Mounties improve their record to 15-1, while the Falcons drop to 9-7. Mt. SAC currently holds the No. 4 spot in the state rankings, according to the latest poll.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The Falcons struck first with a three-pointer from Blake Brewer, setting the tone for an early battle. The Mounties quickly responded as Jaidyn Simpson sank two free throws after being fouled by Lucas Smith. For much of the opening half, Cerritos maintained a slight edge, with Brewer adding a layup and Dillon Botts hitting a jump shot. Mt. SAC's Kenneth Brown kept them in contention with a three-pointer and a jump shot, tying the game at 7.

Cerritos briefly reclaimed the lead with a three-pointer from Andrew Mata, but the Mounties began to find their rhythm midway through the first half. A layup by Simpson followed by a three-pointer from Marvel Chambers gave Mt. SAC the lead. They built momentum, finishing the half ahead 40-29.

The second half opened with Jon McCullough extending the Mounties' lead with a jump shot. However, Cerritos didn't back down, fueled by an outstanding effort from Marcel Hayes, who tallied 13 points and six rebounds in the back half of the game. With just over five minutes remaining, the Falcons surged ahead with a layup by Spencer Ezewiro and a jump shot from Mata.

In the final minutes, the tension was palpable. Brown tied the game at 60 after being fouled on a layup and converting all three points. Hayes made a jump shot followed by a layup from Ryan Wheeler to tie the game again, but the Mounties answered with crucial shots from Immanuel Taylor. With just six seconds left and Mt. SAC clinging to a one-point lead, Simpson sealed the win by sinking two clutch free throws, ending the game with a three-point margin.

BY THE NUMBERS:

  • Jaidyn Simpson (Mt. SAC): Game-high 23 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 10-16 FT
  • Jon McCullough (Mt. SAC): 13 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block
  • Kenneth Brown (Mt. SAC): 12 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists
  • Marcel Hayes (Cerritos): Team-high 18 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks
  • Dillon Botts (Cerritos): 12 points, 5 assists
  • Spencer Ezewiro (Cerritos): 11 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks

TEAM STATS:

  • Shooting: Mt SAC – 31.8% (21-66); Cerritos – 45.0% (27-60)
  • Three-Point Shooting: Mt. SAC – 21.1% (4-19); Cerritos – 47.1% (8-17)
  • Free Throw Shooting: 68.6% (24-35); Cerritos – 50% (5-10)
  • Rebounds: Mt. SAC – 48; Cerritos – 41
  • Turnovers: Mt. SAC – 10; Cerritos – 13

UP NEXT:

The Mounties will head south on Wednesday, January 15, where they will compete against Long Beach City College (3-12) at 7:00 PM.

STAY CONNECTED:

Follow Mt. SAC Men's Basketball on twitter @MtSAC_MBKB or Instagram /mt.sacbasketball/

Follow Mt. SAC Athletics on twitter @MtSAC_athletics Instagram /mtsac_athletics/ or Facebook @Mountie.Athletics

For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.