The Saddleback basketball team will open the California Community College Athletic Association State Basketball Tournament on Friday night at Cerritos College with a 7:00 PM game against Cañada College. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs and the winner will move on to the state championship game on Sunday.
Saddleback (31-2) enters the tournament as the top seed from Southern California after defeating Los Angeles Pierce College, Mt. San Jacinto College and San Bernardino Valley College in the Southern California Regional Playoffs. The Gauchos were the champions of the Orange Empire Conference and have won two state championships in the program's history. This is Saddleback's 12th appearance in the final four with the most recent coming in 2011 when the Gauchos fell to City College of San Francisco in the semifinals, 65-60.
Cañada (24-6) enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed from Northern California after defeating Diablo Valley College, San Jose City College and College of Marin in the Northern California Regional Playoffs. The Colts finished in third place in the Coast Conference North Division and last made it to the semifinals in 1994, never making it to a championship game.
Saddleback and Cañada have played a handful of games this season against three common opponents. The Colts defeated Mt. San Jacinto College 116-108 in overtime on November 7, Irvine Valley College 66-55 on December 5 and College of the Sequoias 91-87 on December 12. The Gauchos defeated Mt. San Jacinto three times, beating the Eagles 66-63 on November 22, 69-57 on December 13 and 99-75 on March 4. Saddleback defeated Irvine Valley 61-57 on January 14 and 58-49 on February 6. The Gauchos also defeated Sequoias, 64-53, on January 3.
Saddleback and Cañada are very close in the state Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), with Saddleback at No. 3 in the RPI and Cañada No. 4. The Gauchos are 5-1 against teams ranked in the top-10 of the RPI while the Colts are 3-2. Looking further out, Saddleback is 11-1 against top-20 programs while Cañada is 6-3.
The two programs have conflicting styles, as Cañada features one of the higher powered offenses in the state and Saddleback one of the stingiest defenses. The Colts rank No. 4 in the state in total points (83.9) while the Gauchos are No. 2 in defensive points allowed (56.2). Cañada has scored over 100 points on five occasions this season while Saddleback has surrendered 60-or-less, 19 times.
Cañada has a balanced attack with four players averaging in double-figures for the year led by forward Rhondell Goodwin (17.0). He is joined by guards Crisshawn Clark (14.7) and Israel Hakim (pictured left, 12.2) for one of the better backcourts in the state. Forward Manny Martin is the fourth option on offense, scoring 11.5 points-per-game while leading the team in rebounding (9.7).
Saddleback had all five starters make the All-Orange Empire Conference First Team led by center Conor Clifford (pictured right). The big man in the middle averages 14.5 points and 6.2 rebounds-per-game, shooting 64% from the field and 71% from the free throw line. The Gauchos have two others scoring in double-figures with Dusty Baker (11.9) and Andrew Bournes (10.9), who are both are among the leaders in the state in three-point shooting. Forward Collin Host does a little of everything, averaging 9.0 point, 4.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists-per-game. The man controlling the attack is point guard Maleke Haynes, who scores 7.3 points-per-game while dishing out 4.1 assists.
Game time on Friday's is scheduled for 7:00pm at Cerritos College and will follow the opening semifinal between Merritt College (25-6) and East Los Angeles College (21-10). The winners of the two games will meet for the CCCAA state championship on Sunday afternoon.
Cerritos College is located at 11110 Alondra Boulevard in Norwalk, California.