Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- In all three previous Citrus losses this season, you can point to one stat line, and say that’s why the Fighting Owls fell. In their loss to Reedley, it was their shooting (36.7% to Reedley’s 40.8%). In their games against Saddleback and Riverside, it was the turnovers (9 more turnovers than the Gauchos and 8 more turnovers than the Tigers).
When it comes to Saturday night’s shocking 76-75 loss to Santa Monica College, however, it becomes more difficult to tell. The Fighting Owls weren’t out-shot (Citrus shot 47.5% from the floor, compared to Santa Monica’s 37.5%), didn’t get completely whipped in the rebound (39-44) or turnover (26-23) battles, and Citrus dominated the Corsairs in the paint (40-28). When it comes down to it, it just wasn’t the Fighting Owls night.
While the end was disappointing, Saturday night’s contest started out promising for Citrus. The Fighting Owls led for the entirety of the first half, taking as much as an 11-point lead at the 9:54 mark after Troy Payne converted on a fast-break lay-up to make the score 23-12.
Citrus would keep the Corsairs at bay for much of the half, settling in for a 35-26 lead at the break. The second half would start out much the same way, with the Fighting Owls keeping Santa Monica at a distance, growing their lead slowly but surely. Things seemed to be well under control, midway through the first half, when Mark Dorsey’s dunk off a Jose Rivera assist, gave the Owls a 15-point 56-41 lead and seemingly all the momentum in the world.
That’s when things began to unravel for the Fighting Owls, as Santa Monica slowly chipped away at the Citrus lead, drawing to within four points after a Rodney Hudson triple cut the deficit 66-62. Santa Monica continued to bang away at things, getting two more treys from Hudson, the second giving Santa Monica a 71-68 lead (their first of the night) with just under three-minutes to go.
Citrus would answer with a fast-break lay-up from Stephen Bennett, but Santa Monica’s Arnette Hollis hit the back-end of two free-throws to keep the SMC lead at two. After getting a stop, Citrus turned to Jose Rivera looking for a three-pointer, but Rivera missed with ball landing in the hands of Bennett. Bennett immediately went straight back up at the basket, sinking the shot and getting fouled in the process.
After completing the 3-point play, Citrus had the lead again 73-72 with 1:20 to go. Both teams would trade a pair of missed opportunities, when Santa Monica’s Eric Bell hit a jumper with 39 seconds, giving the Corsairs back the lead. Citrus quickly went back down the court and snagged the lead back when Zareh Zargaryan hit a jumper from 10 feet out with just 21 seconds showing on the clock.
With the Corsairs out of time-outs, Santa Monica quickly pushed the ball back down the court, going to Hudson who got a jumper to fall with 14 seconds left, giving SMC back the lead.
Citrus would have two more chances to claim back the game, but Justin Johnson’s effort in the lane was short, and Kelly Johnson’s desperation toss towards the basket after grabbing a rebound wasn’t true, as Citrus suffered just its first conference loss in 18 Western State Conference South Division contests.
In the loss, Citrus was paced by Mark Dorsey who scored a team high 14 points off the bench. Santa Monica’s Hudson would finish with a game high 22 points.
With the loss, Citrus falls to 19-4 overall and 3-1 in WSC South play, while Santa Monica improved to 7-13 overall and 1-2 in conference play. The Fighting Owls will try and rebound from Saturday’s loss, with another road game on Wednesday evening. The Fighting Owls will travel to Glendale to take on Vaqueros (8-12, 1-2). Tip-off is set for 5:00 PM.
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