CCSF Basketball Teams Advance to the CCCAA Elite 8

By Marcus Tolero

A state semifinal appearance is one step away for City College of San Francisco's basketball teams.

This Saturday at CCSF the Men's and Women's teams continue their journeys to the California Community College Athletic Association State Championship. The No. 1 Men's Team (29-1) plays No. 5 College of Sequoias Giants (20-11), and the No.1 Women's Team (27-3) takes on No. 4 Diablo Valley College Vikings.

The men's team emerged victorious yesterday after thoroughly defeating No. 9 Santa Rosa Junior College Bear Cubs 100-69. The tone of the game was set early by the Rams' frenetic offensive attack. After barely five minutes of play had passed in the first half, the Rams were on a stunning 20-3 run.

CCSF's insurmountable lead throughout the game was due in part to the Rams' three-point barrage. The team finished 16-for-36 from beyond the arc. Freshman Guard Zachary Copeland channeled his inner-Stephen-Curry by shooting an impressive 8-for-10 from three-point range and finishing with a game-leading 25 total points. Sophomores LaDonovan Wilder and Troy Thompson also added to the Rams offensive attack by finishing with 15 points and 14 points, respectively.

The Rams will play a Sequoias team that is fresh off an 87-81 victory over No. 4 Las Positas College Hawks. The Giants frequently found themselves at the free-throw line and shot an amazing 25 of 29 from the charity stripe in their win over Las Positas. The matchup between the Rams and Sequoias will be a favorable one for CCSF. For the season, Sequoias averaged 73.2 points per game (48th overall) while CCSF averaged an impressive 86.6 points per game (4th overall).

Last night the women's team came through with an impressive 75-59 win over No. 8 College of the Siskiyous Eagles. The Eagles came into the game as arguably the No.1 offensive team in the state. Their per-game averages of 95.2 points, 12.7 three-points made, and 22.1 assists ranked the team first in all three categories in California.

The Rams had an answer to the Eagles juggernaut offense – a swarming defense. CCSF's quick and impenetrable defense frustrated Siskiyous throughout the game. The Eagles shot 18 of 60 from the field (30 percent), 5 of 25 from three point range (20 percent) and dished out only 10 total assists. The Rams also forced 12 turnovers and blocked 12 shots. Sophomores Center Danielle Palmer and Guard Kelly Wong were the defensive stalwarts for the Rams. Palmer led the team with nine blocked shots, and Wong paced the Rams with five steals.

The Lady Rams will once again play another high-scoring team in Diablo Valley College this Saturday. The Vikings are fresh off a 73-40 win over No. 5 Sacramento City College Panthers, a game in which they shot 27-for-57 from the field (47 percent) and 16-for-21 from the free throw line. The matchup between the Rams and Vikings favors CCSF. Diablo Valley College comes into the game averaging 70.4 points per game (18th overall); however, the Rams defense allows a miniscule 54.4 points per game (12th overall).

Game Details

Saturday, March 5, 2015
Brad Duggan Court, City College of San Francisco
50 Phelan Avenue, San Francisco CA, 94112

Women's Basketball: CCSF Rams vs Diablo Valley College 5:30pm pst
Men's Basketball: CCSF Rams vs College of the Sequoias 7:30pm pst

$12 General/$8 Students, Faculty, Seniors 60+, 12 and under