M. Basketball: Win clinches share of division title for Cerritos

File Photo: Andrew Mata knocked down four three-pointers against LA Southwest
File Photo: Andrew Mata knocked down four three-pointers against LA Southwest

For the second season in a row and 30th time in school history, the Cerritos College men's basketball team has won at least a share of a conference championship. This season, the Falcons (20-8, 9-1) captured a share of the the South Coast Conference South Division championship. They secured the share of the title with a 78-65 win at Los Angeles Southwest College on Friday. The victory also marked the 42nd time time a Cerritos team won at least 20 games in a season. Next up for the Falcons will be the Southern California Regional Playoffs, which get underway next Wednesday. The team will find out on Sunday where they are seeded and who they will face in the first round.

Locked in a tight battle through the first half (36-36), Cerritos started to pull away with yet another balanced offensive attack.

Sophomore Andrew Mata (Schurr HS/Holy Cross, IN College) knocked down four three-pointers and finished the night with 12 points off the bench. But he was not the only outside shooting threat off the bench, as freshman Brian DeMedio (Warren HS) was successful on an three of his outside shots and scored 13 points for the Falcons. Using their bench to their advantage, sophomore Marcel Hayes (Long Beach Poly HS) also poured in 13 points in his time off the bench, and added five rebounds. Cerritos received 38 of their points from this trio off the bench.

Continuing to be a threat on both ends of the court, sophomore Spencer Ezewiro (Paramount HS/Moberly Area, MO CC) was dominant at times, as he led the team with 16 points and a season-high 18 rebounds, while sophomore Blake Brewer (Orange Lutheran HS) finished with 12 points and four rebounds. The sixth player to score in double figures - a feat accomplished for the second game in a row - sophomore Darron Henry (Long Beach Poly HS) recorded 10 points, with eight assists and three steals.