Bryson’s 32 Points Lead Hawks to Overtime Win Over Chabot
After trailing by two points at halftime, the Santiago Canyon College men's basketball team outscored the Chabot College Gladiators in the second half to force overtime. Freshman EJ Bryson was the standout performer, scoring 32 points and leading the Hawks to a 100-97 victory.
This marked the first time this season the Hawks reached the 100-point mark. It also marked the third time in the last five games that Santiago Canyon won a contest decided by three points or fewer.
The Hawks struck first in overtime, with sophomore Trevor Manning hitting a three-pointer on the team's opening possession. Freshman Connor McKee grabbed an offensive rebound, then passed to Bryson, who found Manning for the shot.
Manning continued to make an impact, this time on the defensive end. He stole the ball and quickly set up a three-pointer for sophomore Tony Colley, assisted by freshman Colin Weems. Bryson then added two more points off the glass to give the Hawks a 92-86 lead.
Weems got in on the action as well, drilling a three-pointer with just over two minutes remaining to extend the Hawks' lead to nine. However, the Gladiators responded with a 7-2 run, making things tense in the final moments.
Despite Chabot's late surge, the Hawks sealed the win with two free throws and a defensive stop, forcing the Gladiators to miss a three-pointer at the buzzer.
Bryson's 32 points and 10 rebounds marked both a career-high in points and his first career double-double. He also flirted with a triple-double, contributing six assists in the win.
Four of the Hawks' five starters finished in double figures, with Weems complimenting Bryson's team-high clip. He posted a career-high 22 points, including six three-pointers, marking his third consecutive game in double-digit scoring. Weems also contributed six assists, five rebounds, and four steals.
Manning finished with 14 points, three rebounds, and two assists and steals, while Colley added 10 points and nine rebounds.
Despite struggling at the free-throw line—shooting just 50% (10-for-20)—the Hawks made up for it by forcing Chabot into 24 turnovers.