Back to Fundamentals For Citrus

Glendora, CA - The Citrus College Men's Basketball team won their third straight game and did so thanks to getting back to fundamentals. The Owls turned the ball over a season low eight times, while forcing their opponent Glendale College into 15 turnovers, and outrebounding the Vaqueros by four in a 89-71 victory.

The first half would be a wild back and forth affair. The two teams were tied up seven different times, and the lead would change hands a total of nine times, all during the first 20 minutes of action. Glendale would try to hit the Owls with their big men early, taking their largest lead of the night roughly eight minutes in after a lay-up made it 16-12 in favor of the Vaqueros.

To answer, Citrus went to sophomore Mark Williams to turn the tide back in the Owls' favor. Williams got the ball rolling with a three from the top left wing cutting the Glendale lead to one, and then giving Citrus the lead two possessions later with a conventional three-point play that made it 18-16 after he hit the ensuing free-throw. Glendale would answer back a few moments later with a three of their own, but after a few possessions that went nowhere, Citrus wrestled back the three via triples from sophomore Caleb Richey and freshman Kenneth Cyprian that made it 24-19. The Owls would never trail again.

Despite never trailing again, Glendale would keep it close until late in the game, and that was especially true through the remainder of the first half. After trailing for five minutes, the Vaqueros would tie the game back up at 38-38 with 2:40 left in the half. Citrus would come back with a jumper from Williams, but that was again answered. The Owls would go to freshman Calvin Martin on the next possession and go back on top 42-40, but once again Glendale counterpunched. The two teams would trade lost possessions to close out the half, with the lone exception being a pair of free-throws from Williams that put Citrus up 44-42 at the break.

The Owls would bring the energy early in the second half, getting a jumper from Williams, two free-throws from Richey, and a breakaway dunk by Williams to go up 55-40. Glendale would work the Owls lead back down to one, but Citrus got started again, using a 20-7 run that was started thanks to another Richey three and capped off by a throw down from sophomore Ryan Wiley and layup by Williams that made it 70-56 with 12:11 to go. The Vaqueros would never get closer than nine, and Citrus' lead wouldn't be threatened down the stretch.

In the win, Williams led all scorers with a career high 30 points. Richey added 21 to go along with seven assists and no turnovers. Wiley would add 10, while Martin came off the bench to grab a team high eight boards. On the whole, Citrus did a good job on the glass, outrebounding Glendale 36-32 becoming the first team to do so in WSC South play.

With the win, Citrus improves to 9-10 overall and 3-3 in WSC South play. The Owls have another tough test as play continues in the increasingly wild Western State Conference South Division. Citrus will play host to West Los Angeles College on Wednesday at 7:00 PM inside the Owls' Nest.

http://citrusowls.com/sports/mbkb/2015-16/releases/20160125scvm6n