For the third straight season, the Pasadena City College men's basketball team swept all three games and won the 8-team, bracketed Antelope Valley Gregg Anderson Tournament championship Dec. 5-7.
The Lancers, who stopped a 5-game losing streak with a win over Palo Verde to end the Cerro Coso Classic Nov. 30, have climbed back to .500 at 5-5 after earning AVC tourney victories over Victor Valley, Palo Verde again, and then a tight, 66-64 triumph in the title game over Los Angeles Harbor on Sunday.
In that contest, PCC trailed 13-2, then 34-23, but whittled away at the deficit as Harbor led 34-27 by halftime. The Seahawks built it back to 11 at 41-30. Down 48-40 midway through the second half, the Lancers responded with a 14-2 run capped by Bradin Jackson's trey to go up 54-50.
Trailing again by three with 3:40 left, Darrius Freeman made a layup, then a jumper but again LAHC answered to go back up 64-62. With a minute left, Julian Thompkins sank two free throws, then Jackson played hero as he followed a missed shot by Donovan Ford and hit the winning basket with just five seconds remaining.
Jackson scored 13 off the bench while Ford, the tourney's MVP, had a monster performance also in reserve in posting 18 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. Freeman netted a game-high 20 points on 10 field goals.
In the semifinals, Palo Verde led the Lancers 44-43 early in the second half, and the game was close as PCC led 60-58, but then exploded for a 19-1 run putting the game out of reach. Ford put on another highlight reel performance coming off the bench by scoring a team-high 23 points (10-for-15 from the field) and pulling down 10 boards.
He led five Lancers in double digits in scoring ahead of Thompkins with 14 points, Jackson 12 in reserve, Gavin Hollins-Law 11 also in backup to go with seven rebounds, and Gor-el Zollicoffer with 11.
Unlike the last two games, the AVC opener was Pasadena in control throughout in a 72-58 win over Victor Valley as Freeman led the way on 14 points and five assists. Cooper Creamer and Ford both double-doubled with Creamer totaling 10 points and 15 rebounds and Ford 13 points and 10 pull-downs. Thompkins chipped in nine points and three assists.
Jackson, Freeman and the defensive-minded Korey Perkins were also selected All-AVC Tournament.
The team scored a season-high in points in routing Palo Verde, 97-72, to close out the Cerro Cosso crossover. Zollicoffer poured in 19 points, Thompkins 16 and 9 rebounds, Ford 14 and nine boards, Freeman 11 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, Creamer 12 points, and Jackson recorded seven points, seven rebounds and five helpers.
"We turned a corner and started playing with a purpose," said PCC interim head coach Spenser Nunes on the team's 4-game win streak. "Ford has really raised his game and we like that he comes off the bench to give us a spark there. We're getting different guys involved and the confidence level is back that we may have lost a little in our losing streak."
PCC will take some well-earned time off, then play at the College of the Sequoias Crossover on Dec. 19-20.
Left to right-Perkins, Jackson, Freeman and Ford
