Huskies stun No. 2-ranked Mt. SAC

 

By Tadzio Garcia

Host East Los Angeles College, the No. 10-ranked team in the state, stunned No. 2-ranked Mt. San Antonio College, 77-71, in front of a packed house.

“This was a great team win and the first victory over Mt. SAC in about 20 years,” said six year coach Bruce Turner.

ELAC improved to 21-5 overall, 11-3 in South Coast Conference play. Mt. SAC fell to 25-3, 14-1 in the SCC. Mt. SAC’s other losses were against top seeded Ventura College (27-1). Ventura’s only loss was to No. 9-ranked Cerritos College, 76-62, a team ELAC beat, 62-58 on Wednesday.

Mt. SAC posted their first lead over the Huskies, 35-34, at 18:20 in the second half. The Mounties increased their lead to 52-43, their largest, at 11:39 on a technical foul called on coach Turner.

Mt. SAC’s second year coach Brian Crichlow returned the favor at 4:24 when he was called for a technical foul. ELAC then posted a 66-64 lead.

Crichlow was called for another technical foul before ELAC inbounded the ball.  Antineisha Hill (Crenshaw High), who scored 19 points, swished two free throws which gave the Huskies a 68-64 lead. The Huskies never looked back.

ELAC’s Keyanna Johnson (Hesperia High) led all scorers with 40 points. Johnson was 8 for 9 from the line and grabbed seven rebounds.

Mt. SAC standouts were Shawlina Segovia (Riverside’s JW North High) with 18 points, Morgan Mason (Beverly Hills High) with 16 points and 9 rebounds and Leticia Galarza (La Puente’s Bishop Amat High) with eight assists.

At 10:29 in the first half, ELAC starter Jamie Robinson fell to the ground screaming in pain. “Robinson left the game, but returned in the second half to help lead the ELAC team with outstanding play to an intense victory,” said Turner.

The Huskies continue SCC play against a tough Pasadena City squad (14-12, 8-6) next Wednesday at 5 p.m. in the Lancer gym.