Coming off a 19-10 season where the Cerritos College men's basketball team finished in second place in the South Coast Conference South Division, the team has announced that three more players have signed with four-year universities. Leading the list is guard Jalen Shores, who signed with Hope International University, while the duo of guards Dennis (Malik) Johnson and Christian Bennett will be playing at Greenville (IL) University next season. They are joined by Gorden Boykins (Lewis & Clark State University) and Jonathan Salazar (Virginia Union University), who already signed.
Shores, an All-SCC selection, led the team in scoring during the season at 14.3 points a game, while he finished second on the team with 43 three-pointers made and shot an impressive 80.3% from the free throw line. He scored in double-digits 23 times on the season, including a streak of 17 in a row that was snapped in the final regular season game. Shores scored a season-high 25 points in the team's double-overtime playoff loss to Copper Mountain College.
He will be playing next season for a Lions team that went 20-11 on the year and dropped their opening game of the NAIA Tournament to Xavier University of Louisiana after suffering a heartbreaking 71-69 loss to Ottawa University of Arizona in the GSAC Championship game.
Johnson and Bennett had similar stats for the Falcons in their sophomore seasons, as Johnson averaged 5.6 points and 2.8 rebounds a game, while Bennett concluded the season accounting for 5.2 points a game. Johnson started in eight of the 28 games in which he appeared and scored in double figures three times, which included a season-high 12 points against College of the Sequoias. He turned in a season-high seven rebounds against Rio Hondo College, while pulling down at least five boards in four other games. Johnson also dished out four assists against MiraCosta College. Bennett had a season-high 15 points in three separate games, which included five three-pointers against Long Beach City College. He finished third on the team with 30 three-pointers.
The two will be joining a Panthers team that went 7-19 last year and lost three guards to graduation.
![M. Basketball: Season comes to an end with playoff loss](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D21286_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
March 2, 2024
M. Basketball: Season comes to an end with playoff loss
![M. Basketball: Cerritos comes away with 70-67 playoff win](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D23201_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 28, 2024
M. Basketball: Cerritos comes away with 70-67 playoff win
![M. Basketball: Falcons receive top awards in the division](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D22982_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 27, 2024
M. Basketball: Falcons receive top awards in the division
![M. Basketball: Cerritos to host 1st Round playoff game](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D21501_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 25, 2024
M. Basketball: Cerritos to host 1st Round playoff game
![M. Basketball: Win over rival caps off undefeated divisional season](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D21511_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 23, 2024
M. Basketball: Win over rival caps off undefeated divisional season
![M. Basketball: Falcons hold on for win over LA Harbor](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D22997_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 21, 2024
M. Basketball: Falcons hold on for win over LA Harbor
![M. Basketball: Energetic win by Falcons clinches division title](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D23098_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 16, 2024
M. Basketball: Energetic win by Falcons clinches division title
![M. Basketball: Cerritos holds off Compton for ninth straight win](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D22982_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 14, 2024
M. Basketball: Cerritos holds off Compton for ninth straight win
![M. Basketball: Cerritos cruises to eighth straight win](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D23022_ad_hoc.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 9, 2024
M. Basketball: Cerritos cruises to eighth straight win
![M. Basketball: Falcons take over possession of first place with win](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D23047_ad_hoc.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 2, 2024
M. Basketball: Falcons take over possession of first place with win
![M. Basketball: Cerritos outscores Compton, 90-82 in divisional win](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D22719_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 26, 2024
M. Basketball: Cerritos outscores Compton, 90-82 in divisional win
![M. Basketball: Triple-double leads Cerritos to 85-57 win](/sports/mbkb/2022-23/photos/1D21905_ad_hoc.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 24, 2024
M. Basketball: Triple-double leads Cerritos to 85-57 win
![M. Basketball: Cerritos scores season-high 91 points in win](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/P1D4512_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 19, 2024
M. Basketball: Cerritos scores season-high 91 points in win
![M. Basketball: Fast start leads Cerritos to big win](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D21572_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 17, 2024
M. Basketball: Fast start leads Cerritos to big win
![M. Basketball: Late free throws do in Falcons in loss](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D21478_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 12, 2024
M. Basketball: Late free throws do in Falcons in loss
![M. Basketball: Second half woes hurt Falcons in 77-72 loss](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/P1D4381_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 10, 2024
M. Basketball: Second half woes hurt Falcons in 77-72 loss
![M. Basketball: Falcons overcome injuries to post win](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D21127_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 5, 2024
M. Basketball: Falcons overcome injuries to post win
![M. Basketball: Cerritos holds off Fresno City for 73-68 win](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D29536_ad_hoc.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
December 16, 2023
M. Basketball: Cerritos holds off Fresno City for 73-68 win
![M. Basketball: Another close game goes against Cerritos](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D29636_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
December 14, 2023
M. Basketball: Another close game goes against Cerritos
![M. Basketball: Late turnovers hurt Falcons in loss](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/1D29530_ad_hoc.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 28, 2023
M. Basketball: Late turnovers hurt Falcons in loss
![M. Basketball: Falcons used balanced attack to post win](/sports/mbkb/2023-24/photos/2023-24_Cerritos_M._Basketball_Team_Picture_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 22, 2023
M. Basketball: Falcons used balanced attack to post win
![M. Basketball: Free throws in final seconds result in close loss](/images/headers/DP-0035_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 11, 2023
M. Basketball: Free throws in final seconds result in close loss
![M. Basketball: Strong bench scoring helps lead Falcons to win](/sports/mbkb/2022-23/photos/2023-24_Cerritos_M._Basketball_Team_Picture_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 9, 2023
M. Basketball: Strong bench scoring helps lead Falcons to win
![M. Basketball: Season does not start off well for the Falcons](/images/headers/DP-0035_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 1, 2023
M. Basketball: Season does not start off well for the Falcons