2009 News and Press Releases

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Sophomore Jose Rivera put together one of his best overall performances of the season, scoring 12 points, grabbing a season and team high seven rebounds, dishing out three assists, swiping three steals, and blocking two shots in helping lead the Fighting Owls (13-2) past Oxnard 66-52 on Wednesday evening.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Ever since the Citrus College Men’s Basketball team won the programs first State Championship back in 2008, the Fighting Owls have had a target on their backs, and every team that Citrus has played since has come and given Citrus their best shot. The Fighting Owls got another dose of that reality on Tuesday afternoon as they opened up the Citrus College Holiday Classic with a 71-70 win over LA Pierce College.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Having split their previous two meetings with visiting Mt. San Antonio College (ranked #6 in the State), and coming off their first back to back losses in three seasons, the Citrus College Men’s Basketball team (ranked #5 in the State) had a “where the rubber meets the road” game against the Mounties on Wednesday night. The Fighting Owls responded with aplomb winning 78-59.

Riverside, CA (Men’s Basketball) – Over the past four seasons the Citrus College Men’s Basketball team has accomplished a lot: a State Championship, back to back WSC South Titles, three straight playoff appearances, three straight 20 win seasons, and a number of tournament championships. In that span though, there has been one particular accomplishment that has eluded the Fighting Owls and really been a thorn in the side of Citrus College.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Over the past three seasons the Citrus College Men’s Basketball team hasn’t exactly been known for their play in the low post. That’s about to change as the Fighting Owls continue to impose their will from down on the block, something that was more than evident in Friday night’s 82-56 win over visiting El Camino College. Citrus out-rebounded the Warriors by a 46-30 margin and outscored El Camino 40-24 in the paint.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- The basketball season is just three weeks old, but all ready the Citrus College Men’s Basketball team has made a statement that they are still one of the best teams in the State. The Fighting Owls proved that on Sunday night by beating Mt. San Antonio College, ranked #3 in the State, 90-72 in the Championship Game of the 2009 Neil Edwards Classic.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Sophomore Randy Hunter isn’t the flashiest player on the Citrus College roster, but he goes to work every game happy to do the small things like rebound and finish around the basket. Hunter is the Fighting Owls’ silent assassin, quietly going about his business and killing his opponent along the way.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- The Citrus College Men’s Basketball team, ranked #4 in the State, got off to a slow start in Friday afternoon’s game with Victor Valley in the opening round of the 2009 Neil Edwards Classic. Fortunately for the Fighting Owls they finished strong as they ran roughshod over the Rams 86-63.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- The 2009-2010 Men’s Basketball season is only two weeks in, but the Citrus College Men’s Basketball team all ready has five sophomores who have signed scholarship offers. DeAndre Haskins, Terance Reaves, Darin Stewart, Keith Thompson, and Cameron Khoury have all early signed with their future universities.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Sophomore Keith Thompson was named the WSC South Player of the Week on Tuesday evening. It’s the first time in his two seasons with Citrus that Thompson has earned the honor.

San Diego, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- For the third straight year, the Citrus College Men’s Basketball team has travelled down South to open their season tournament schedule. The Fighting Owls (ranked #5 in the State) have made San Diego their unofficial home away from home as they have won the tournament two years running. Things continued to go well for Citrus down in San Diego as for the third straight year they will come home as Champions of the Knight’s Invitational.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- What does 63 wins in two seasons and back to back WSC South Championships get you these days? Well if you are Head Men’s Basketball Coach Rick Croy and the Citrus College Men’s Basketball team, it gets you a lot of respect. That respect was shown this week, as the Fighting Owls were named the pre-season #1 team in the South for the second straight year.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Returning Sophomore Jose Rivera has been named the Citrus College Men’s Basketball program’s Team Captain for the 2009-2010 season. Rivera follows in the footsteps as such legendary Owls as Troy Payne, Darren Moore, and Phil Friesen.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Fresh off an impressive career at UC Irvine, Bay Area native Brett Lauer has joined the Citrus College Men’s Basketball Coaching Staff. A six-foot one inch guard out of Concord, California, Lauer spent the last two seasons (his junior and senior campaigns) playing for the Anteaters where he averaged 8.5 points a game and led the Big West Conference in 3-point percentage with a .504 mark during the 2008-2009 season.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- The 2009 Citrus College Men’s Basketball sophomore class signings are complete with the announcement that sophomore Steven Bennett has signed on with NCAA Division II Chaminade University.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- The 5th Annual Summer Basketball Camp presented the Citrus College Men’s Basketball team is now enrolling. The Fighting Owls will be hosting five sessions beginning June 22-26th.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Sophomores Mark Dorsey and Zareh Zargaryan are the fifth and sixth players to sign scholarship offers from the 2008-2009 Fighting Owl Men’s Basketball team. Both have singed on with NCAA Division II schools, Dorsey at California State University Los Angeles and Zargaryan at California State University Dominguez Hills.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Sophomore's Troy Payne and Justin Johnson have both inked scholarship offers to continue their playing careers over the last week. Payne has signed on with NCAA Division I Santa Clara, while Johnson will continue with NAIA member Concordia University Irvine.

Glendora, CA (Men's Basketball) -- Citrus College Men's Basketball Head Coach Rick Croy was named the WSC South Coach of the year for the second year in a row this past week.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- The Citrus College men’s basketball team wrapped up their second best season in program history with a slew of post-season honors. Leading the way was sophomore Troy Payne, who was named the WSC South Player of the Year, and an All-State selection.

Kansas City, MO (Men’s Basketball) -- A year and a week after leading Citrus College to its first ever Men’s Basketball State Championship, former Fighting Owl and Montclair High product, Nate Richardson led the Battlin’ Bears of Rocky Mountain College to the schools first ever NAIA National Championship on Tuesday.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball)-- With a trip to Fresno, CA, for the 2009 California Community College Athletic Association State Championships on the line, Riverside City College ended Citrus’ season with a 72-71 victory over the defending State Champs. Riverside led from wire to wire, as Citrus struggled shooting all night long, shooting just 32.8% from the floor, including a 29.4% out-put in the first half.

Manhattan, KS (Men’s Basketball) -- Less than a month after former Fighting Owls Virgil Buensuceso was nominated for the Bob Cousy Award, comes news of another former Fighting Owls finding success at the next level.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Over the past three seasons, the Citrus College men’s basketball team has played in eight playoff games, including three at home. So Saturday night’s game against Victor Valley was nothing new for the Fighting Owls.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- After going 27-4 and winning their first ever back to back WSC titles, the Citrus College Men’s Basketball team was rewarded with the #2 Seed in the South for the upcoming California Community College Athletic Association Regional Playoffs.

Bakersfield, CA (Men's Basketball) -- Citrus College Men's Basketball Head Coach Rick Croy won his 100th game on Saturday night.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball)-- Sophomore Troy Payne matched a career high with 24 points and recorded his fourth straight double-double in helping lead the Fighting Owls to their second straight out-right WSC South Division Championship with a 114-106 win over Glendale on Saturday night. The back to back conference titles marks the first time any Citrus basketball team has won two conference titles two years in a row.

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Seeking revenge for a 76-75 upset victory back in January, the Citrus College men’s basketball team did exactly that as they blitzed visiting Santa Monica College 105-66 on Wednesday night.

Valley Glen, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- It's no secret that the strength of the 2008-2009 Citrus College Men’s Basketball team lies in its depth. That was no more evident than on Saturday night, as Citrus’ bench out-scored host LA Valley’s..

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Virgil Buensuceso a member of the Fighting Owls from 2006-2008, and a main cog in Citrus’ State Championship run last season, has been named one of 17 finalist for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the..

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Citrus point guard’s Kelly Johnson and Steven Bennett combined for 34 points and 6 assists in helping lead the Fighting Owls to a 93-68 win over West LA College on Wednesday evening. West LA..

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Freshman Keith Thompson took off and soared to new heights on Saturday night, scoring a game high 22 points and grabbing a game high 9 boards, in helping lead Citrus to a convincing 93-77 win over..

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Throughout this 2008-2009 season, there is no doubt that sophomore guard Justin Johnson has been one of the best players in Southern California and even the State. Johnson proved that again..

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Citrus College’s big game against Bakersfield College tomorrow night, just got a little bit bigger, with the announcement that Ronnie Wald and Waldcast.net will be broadcasting tomorrow’s game live from..

Glendale, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- After suffering a disappointing 75-76 loss at Santa Monica on Saturday night, the Citrus College Men’s Basketball team, ranked #4 in the State, bounced back with a dominating 94-73 victory at Glendale..

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..

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- Throughout the 2008-2009 Men’s Basketball season, there has been no doubt, that down the stretch there is hardly a better team in the State than Citrus College. The Fighting Owls proved that..

Glendora, CA (Men’s Basketball) -- The Citrus College Fighting Owls, ranked #2 in the State, got a game high 23 points and season high 10 rebounds from sophomore Justin Johnson, as they held off a pesky West LA squad, 79-65 on Saturday..