Taking on high-scoring El Camino College, the Cerritos College men's basketball team limited them to their second-lowest scoring output of the season in a 104-79 South Coast Conference South Division win on Friday. The Falcons (21-4, 5-0) won their seventh game in a row and hold a two-game lead in the division with four regular season games remaining. The team will host their third game on a row next Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. when they take on Compton College (6-16, 3-3).

The Warriors (6-16, 1-5), who average 93.1 points a game, were held to 31 points in the first half and shot just 38% from the field on the night. On the other side, Cerritos moved up and down the court with ease and posted a 56-point second half, where they shot 66% from the field and finished the night making 62% of their shots.

In the first few minutes both teams were able to trade baskets until the Falcons started to pull away early when they shots continued to fall and El Camino went cold. A three-pointer from freshman guard Christian Alvis (Whittier Christian HS) gave the team a 22-10 advantage, while that lead quickly swelled to 28-11 with 9:34 left in the first half after sophomore Malik Smith (Gahr HS) scored on his second straight driving layup through the Warrior defense.

The first half ended with freshman Isaiah Tyler (Redondo Union HS) grabbing a loose ball and dropping a three-pointer at the buzzer for a 48-31 lead at intermission. Tyler, who converted 6-of-8 shots on the night, posted 11 of his 13 points in the first half, while every player in uniform scored and pulled down at least one rebound.

After a slow first half, where he scored just two points, freshman guard Cody Wilkes (La Mirada HS) found the hot hand, as he drained five three-pointers on his way to 19 second half points. His three-pointer with 5:26 left in the game gave Cerritos a game-high 32-point lead (90-58). Six players scored in double-figures for the Falcons, who also received a season-high 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting from freshman center Austin Freeman (Rancho Dominguez Prep HS).

Sophomore Riley Hamilton (Rancho Verde HS), who had 15 points, six rebounds and three assists, was joined by sophomore Demetrius Thomas (Bassick, CT HS/Porterville CC), who finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, along with a pair of monster dunks. Alvis scored nine of his 11 points in the first half, while sophomore Jonathan Guzman (Paramount HS) posted eight points, seven rebounds and six assists.

Photos by Daryl Peterson