Hawks Advance to OEC Tournament Championship in OT Win Over Cypress

The Santiago Canyon College men's basketball team overcame a 16-point deficit in the second half to secure an overtime victory against the Cypress College Chargers in the second round of the Orange Empire Conference (OEC) tournament on Wednesday night. By limiting the Chargers to just 28 points in the second half, the Hawks forced overtime and went on to win.

With victories over Riverside last Thursday and Cypress tonight, the Hawks advance to the inaugural OEC Tournament Championship game, set for Friday, February 21. They will face the winner of the matchup between top-seeded Fullerton and fifth-seeded Santa Ana.

The game got off to a sluggish start for the Hawks, who trailed by 11 points at halftime, with no player scoring in double digits. The deficit grew to 16 points early in the second half, but the Hawks rallied. A 15-5 run brought them within six, sparked by a layup from freshman Connor McKee and a jumper from fellow freshman EJ Bryson. After a stop on defense, freshman Efe Gucoglu completed an and-one play, followed by a three-pointer from sophomore Tony Colley. Sophomore Trevor Manning kept the momentum going with an emphatic dunk, then a clutch three-pointer from sophomore Eli Arthurton trimmed the deficit to 56-50, forcing a Cypress timeout.

The teams exchanged baskets over the next few minutes, with the lead never stretching more than five points in Cypress' favor. However, at the three-minute mark, a three-pointer from freshman Colin Weems gave the Hawks a 68-67 lead.

Cypress responded quickly, regaining a two-point advantage with two minutes left. But Bryson answered with a step-back jumper out of a Santiago Canyon timeout to tie the game. Cypress had the final possession of regulation, but a strong defensive effort, particularly from Arthurton, kept the Chargers from scoring, sending the game into overtime.

In overtime, Bryson delivered the first blow with a jumper. After several stops, McKee got to the free-throw line and hit one of two attempts, giving the Hawks a three-point lead. Cypress fought back, tying the game with a three-pointer on their next possession. But Bryson's jumper once again put the Hawks ahead.

With the game tied at 75-all after Cypress hit two free throws, Colley responded by hitting one of two free throws to give the Hawks a 76-75 lead.

Cypress had one last chance, but a missed three-pointer sealed the victory for the Hawks.

Bryson led the team with 17 points and three rebounds, while Manning added 14 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals before fouling out in the second half. Gucoglu contributed 10 points off the bench in 29 minutes of play. Weems, Colley, and Arthurton each scored eight points. McKee dropped nine points and hauled in 10 rebounds to narrowly miss snagging a double-double.