Early surge lifts Riverside to 70-53 win in SoCal Regionals

Riverside downed Cypress 70-53 in Wednesday's opening round of the CCCAA Southern California Regionals.

February 23, 2017

CCCAA Regionals (first round)
Feb. 22 Results
Southern California
Riverside 70, Cypress 53
Antelope Valley 89, Santa Monica 80
Barstow 83, San Diego Miramar 68
Ventura 63, Irvine Valley 56

Northern California
Sierra 56, Lassen 52
Cabrillo 77, Cosumnes River 75

Updated Brackets
NorCal | SoCal

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Utilizing a 16-0 run to overcome an early deficit, the Riverside City College (RCC Tigers men's basketball team raced to a 70-53 California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) South Regional first-round playoff win over the visiting Cypress College Chargers Wednesday night (Feb. 22) at RCC's legendary Arthur N. Wheelock Gymnasium.

Riverside City (22-8 overall) was seeded No. 13 entering the tournament and faced Cypress for the second time in eight days. Coincidentally, last week's (Feb. 14) win over Cypress also was by 17 points, 75-58.

The Tigers' win also marked the first postseason win by RCC fourth-year head coach Phil Mathews during his RCC tenure.

Cypress (13-15 overall, No. 20 seed) jumped to a 5-0 lead in the first 34 seconds, but just as quickly Riverside regrouped and went on a 16-0 run over the next 5:17 for a 16-5 lead with 14:09 left in the first half.

RCC built its biggest first-half at 32-16 with 4:19 left and settles for a 41-26 lead at halftime. In the second stanza, the Tigers compiled a 57-32 lead with 14:30 remaining before the Chargers closed to within 63-53 with 3:34 left.

Riverside had three starters score in double figures, paced by freshman guard Andre Wilson (Jurupa Valley - Patriot HS), who had 14 points, and freshman guard Brae Ivey (Fresno - Edison HS), who chipped in with 12 markers and seven assists, and freshman guard Brandon Thomas (Woodland Hills - Taft HS), who had 11 and eight boards.

Freshman forward William "Franky" McQuay (Moreno Valley - Canyon Springs HS) added eight points and had a team-high nine rebounds.

For Cypress, sophomore guard O'Shae Williams (Pioneer HS) had a game-high 18 points. Freshman forward Brennon Palmer (Valencia HS) had a game-high 11 rebounds, while sophomore forward Pascal Evans (Ringsted Gymnasium) had 12 points and ten rebounds.

With the win, Riverside advances to face the No. 4-seeded San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) Wolverines on Saturday, Feb. 25, in a 7 p.m. tipoff.

(Courtesy Riverside City College Athletics)