Men's Cagers Clinch SCC 3rd With Win Over Mt. SAC

The Pasadena CIty College men's basketball team sealed third place in the 6-team, South Coast Conference North Division after rolling over Mt. San Antonio, 80-63, on Sophomore Night at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium Wednesday night.

Josiah Woods needs six more points to join the Lancers 500-point club for his career. He shoots one of his 3-pointers during Wednesday's win, photo by Richard Quinton.
Josiah Woods needs six more points to join the Lancers 500-point club for his career. He shoots one of his 3-pointers during Wednesday's win, photo by Richard Quinton.
February 20, 2019
Box Score

The Pasadena CIty College men's basketball team sealed third place in the 6-team, South Coast Conference North Division after rolling over Mt. San Antonio, 80-63, on Sophomore Night at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium Wednesday night.

The first 12 minutes resembled the issues the Lancers had in the first meeting at Mt. SAC, a 66-48 loss. The Mounties again used a tight defensive strategy and slow tempo to take a 17-14 lead before PCC changed the momentum and tempo to a faster pace. Pasadena outscored Mt. SAC, 22-10, the rest of the half with the spurt ignited by sophomore transfer guard Chris Odionu, who scored four baskets in the run. Odionu and letterman forward Ivan Egbunike each shook up the HP Gym with dunks.

In the second half, the Lancers pressed on defense and continued their up-tempo play. Letterman guard Josiah Woods got hot from the field and ended up with 20 of his team-high 23 points over the final 20 minutes. He was 8-for-10 with four 3-pointers in a 44-point half for PCC. His back-to-back triples extended the lead to a comfortable 22 points, 57-35 with 12:30 left in the contest. Woods was 9-for-16 from the field overall and had five treys. 

Another sophomore who excelled was transfer forward Chris Blount, who was an efficient 8-for-11 from the floor to score 19 points while adding seven rebounds and five of PCC's 18 steals. Odionu finished with 12 points (and seven boards) while sophomore transfer guard Giovonni Jackson totaled 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

It was truly a sophomore's delight as Egbunike added six points and five rebounds off the bench. In all the squad's six sophomores accounted for all but eight of the team's points.

PCC improved to 17-10 overall and 5-4 in conference. Despite 23 points and 11 rebounds by Cyree Dunnell, Mt. SAC fell to 11-15 and 3-6. 

Pasadena closes the regular season on Friday, Feb. 22 in a 5 p.m. SCC tip-off at Chaffey College. Coach Michael Swanegan's Lancers will learn about their postseason fate by this Monday, Feb. 25. PCC last made the playoffs in the 2013-14 season.