Pitts’ Late Layup Lifts Warriors Past Glendale

TORRANCE, Calif. – Chase Pitts made three baskets on the night for El Camino College but it was his last that proved the most important as the Warriors edged Glendale 74-72 Wednesday night at the ECC Gym Complex.

Pitts hit a layup with 2.1 seconds left off an excellent pass from Rashon Crutcher, who threaded the needle through the lane and the teeth of the Vaqueros (3-8) defense to a cutting Pitts, who laid it in off the glass to complete a second-half comeback and snap the Warriors' six-game losing streak.

Pitts finished with six points, seven rebounds and one blocked shot for the Warriors. Jamal Howard and Jason Vasquez led the Warriors with 20 points apiece with Howard adding five assists on the night. Crutcher led the Warriors with six assists including the dish on the game-winning basket.

For the Vaqueros, five players recorded double figures led by Jalen White and Brooklin Sharpe with 12 points apiece in the loss.

The Warriors led for nearly the entire first half, leading by as much as nine points. But ECC went ice cold for the final 4:36 of the frame, allowing the Vaqueros to claw back and deadlock the game at 34-34 by halftime.

The drought continued for ECC and, at one point, the Vaqueros outscored the Warriors 34-9 over a span of 14:36 to take a 57-43 lead in halfway through the second half, the biggest lead of the game for either team.

But the Warriors got a 3-pointer from R.J. Lansang to begin the comeback as ECC outscored Glendale 31-15 in the final 10 minutes of the game to score the victory.

The Warriors will look to continue to build on the momentum as they hit the road for their final game of the 2019 calendar year on Friday at Bakersfield. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m.