It wasn't all pretty for the Cerritos College men's basketball team on Wednesday against visiting Los Angeles Southwest College, but the team posted a 95-88 win. The victory by the Falcons (16-7, 5-0) not only extended their winning streak to seven in a row, it also allowed them to maintain first place in the South Coast Conference South Division after the first round. The team will travel to Compton College on Friday for a 7:00 p.m. divisional play.

Cerritos started off slowly against the Cougars (6-16, 2-3) and trailed by as many as seven points (22-15) in the first half. A three-point basket by sophomore Andrew Mata (Schurr HS/Holy Cross, IN College) tied the game at 22-22, while they kept LA Southwest off the scoreboard for the final 4:07 of the half to take a 37-30 lead into intermission.

The Cougars closed to within 39-34 early in the second half, but the Falcons received six of their next eight points from sophomore Spencer Ezewiro (Paramount HS/Moberly Area, MO CC) , including a three-point play on a rebound and slam dunk, to help them open a 48-36 lead. The teams traded three-pointers later in the half, until a pair of free throws from sophomore Dillon Botts (Mayfair HS) and a tip-in by Ezewiro extended the advantage to 71-56 with 9:19 left on the clock.

It was an 80-58 Falcon lead after sophomore Darron Henry (Long Beach Poly HS) converted a pair of free throws and went coast-to-coast for a lay-up on consecutive possessions. 

Up by 21 points (90-71) with 2:27 remaining, Cerritos committed multiple turnovers, with the Cougars knocking down four three-pointers and converted all four free throws to put a scare into the Falcons. 

Ezewiro ended the night with 25 points and 12 rebounds, with Henry contributing 17 points, six assists, three rebounds and three steals. As for sophomore Marcel Hayes (Long Beach Poly HS), he came off the bench in the first half to produce 15 points and 11 rebounds, while freshman Jaysen Owens (Narbonne HS) hauled in 10 rebounds to go with his three blocked shots and three steals.

Photos by Daryl Peterson