Facing an inspired Saddleback College team in the 1st Round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs, the Cerritos College men's basketball team didn't start to pull away until the second half. The Falcons (21-8), seeded #11, posted a 79-61 win over the #22-seeded Bobcats (12-18) on Wednesday night at The Aviary. The win advances Cerritos to the 2nd Round, where they will travel to face #6-seeded San Diego City College (23-5), who, as recently as 2017, won the 3C2A State Championship. It marks the first meeting between the two schools since an 80-75 win over the Knights on December 2, 2017 in the championship game of the Grossmont Tournament.

Saddleback came out and opened a quick 4-0 lead before the Falcons responded by scoring 14 of the next 16 points, which included three-pointers from sophomore Marcel Hayes (Long Beach Poly HS) and freshman Blake Brewer (Orange Lutheran HS). However, a 24-16 Cerritos lead vanished when Saddleback scored 10 consecutive points. The sixth place team from the Orange Empire Conference even toon a 34-32 lead into halftime.

The Falcons came out quick in the second half, thanks to a Brewer three-pointer, while sophomore Darron Henry (Long Beach Poly HS) recorded a three-pointer to open a 40-36 advantage. Although the Bobcats were able to answer back, Brewer converted a three-point play and then knocked down two more from the free throw line for a 47-43 lead. Just as Cerritos started to pull away (52-43), Saddleback responded with a three-pointer from Ryan Huston with 12:20 left on the clock.

Hayes was fouled attempting a three-pointer with 9:20 left and converted all three to extend the lead to 10 points (60-50). 

Enter sophomore Andrew Mata (Schurr HS/Holy Cross, IN College). After missing on all three of his first half attempts, the outside shooter extraordinaire found his rhythm and he hit three straight long-distance shots in the span of 1:01 to open a commanding 69-53 lead. That would be more than enough for the Falcons, who maintained the comfortable lead the rest of the game.

Saddleback was able to make it a game in the first half with their 52% field goal shooting, while a tenacious Cerritos defense limited them to 33% from the field, along with nine second half turnovers. By contrast, the Falcons were good on 58% of their shots in the second half after a 43% first half.

Hayes led all scorers with 21 points, which included a trio of three-pointers, while Henry finished with 15 points and eight assists. Brewer chipped in with 13 points and four rebounds, with sophomore Dillon Botts (Mayfair HS) accounting for nine points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Sophomore Spencer Ezewiro (Paramount HS/Moberly Area, MO CC), who came off the bench to start the game, contributed 10 points and four rebounds, with Mata checking in with his nine consecutive points.

Photos by Daryl Peterson