Regardless of their records, the games between the rival Cerritos College and Long Beach City College men's basketball teams always have an extra level of excitement. The 85-73 South Coast Conference South Division win by the Falcons (19-8, 8-1) keeps them in a tie for first place with one regular season game remaining. On Friday, the team will travel to Los Angeles Southwest College for a 5:00 p.m. game and then will find out on Sunday where they are seeded for the Southern California Regional Playoffs.

Cerritos started to pull away early in the first half from a 17-14 lead after they scored the game's next 11 points, which included seven of the points scored by freshman guard Brian DeMedio (Warren HS). A dunk by sophomore Spencer Ezewiro (Paramount HS/Moberly Area, MO CC) was followed by a three-pointer from sophomore Andrew Mata (Schurr HS/Holy Cross, IN College) extended the lead to 37-21 with 5:43 left in the first half. The Falcons went into halftime holding a comfortable 46-32 lead and maintained a double-digit lead through the majority of the second half.

The advantage eclipsed the 20-point mark after another Mata three-pointer and a layup from sophomore Dillon Botts (Mayfair HS) made it a 73-52 score with 7:16 left on the clock. The largest lead of the game (84-57) came with 3:26 left when the Falcons went on another 11-0 run. 

By the end of the game, six players had scored in double-figures, led by Ezewiro, who had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Falcons. Sophomore Blake Brewer (Orange Lutheran HS) contributed 13 points and five rebounds, with the tandem of sophomores Marcel Hayes (Long Beach Poly HS) and Jordun Willard (Paramount HS) each adding 11 points off the bench, with Willard also pulling down six rebounds. DeMedio and sophomore Darron Henry (Long Beach Poly HS) both finished with 10 points, with Botts posting nine rebounds to go with his six points and four steals.

Photos by Daryl Peterson