There's nothing like a well-placed timeout to change the course of a game. For the Cerritos College men's basketball team, it did not happen in their favor, as they dropped a 69-63 decision to visiting Allan Hancock College (4-4) on Wednesday night. The Falcons (4-3), who saw their four-game winning streak come to an end, will now compete in the Citrus Tournament, with their first game taking place December 6 at 4:00 p.m. against Santa Monica College.

The Falcons played the game without two of their starters, as sophomore guard Dillon Botts (Mayfair HS) and sophomore center Spencer Ezewiro (Paramount HS/Moberly Area, MO CC) were out with injuries.

With Cerritos holding their largest lead of the game at 42-29 with 15:01 remaining in the second half, Allan Hancok head coach Tyson Aye called a full timeout and used the entire break to light his team up and challenge them. The Falcons were limited to just three points over the next nine minutes, as the Bulldogs drew to within 45-41. The game was tied at 51-51 with 2:10 before sophomores Darron Henry (Long Beach Poly HS) and Marcel Hayes (Long Beach Poly HS) each netted a pair of free throws to put Cerritos in front, 55-51 with 1:38 left in regulation.

With less than a minute left in regulation, Allan Hancock took the lead when they hit their jumpers as the shot clock expired on consecutive possessions. Trailing by two, Henry was good on both of his free throws with 22 seconds left, which sent the game into overtime.

In the extra period, the Bulldogs knocked down a pair of three-pointers to help them open a lead that would hold up at the buzzer.

Henry led the Falcons with 15 points, while Hayes finished with 12 points and four rebounds off the bench. Sophomore Andrew Mata (Schurr HS/Holy Cross, IN College) scored all nine of his points on three-pointers, with sophomore Gavin Carothers-Vukasovic (Cerritos HS) posting eight points and six rebounds. The bench also received a combined 12 rebounds from freshmen Jaysen Owens (Narbonne HS) and Derek Curry (Lawndale HS).

Photos by Daryl Peterson