PCC Men’s Cagers Runner-Up at Ventura Tournament

Although it lost to Antelope Valley College in the championship final, the Pasadena City College men’s basketball team had a successful start to the 2013-14 season by finishing runner-up at the Ventura We Play Hard Tournament held November 7-9.

The Lancers (2-1) advanced to the finals with a huge 69-53 win over the host Ventura Pirates, a team ranked among the top 10 in the state pre-season poll. In the final, the Marauders, ranked No. 7, were too much for PCC in a 91-71 triumph.

Against Ventura, the Lancers trailed 33-29 at halftime and 43-35 early in the second half. PCC would go on a monster 25-8 run to erase the deficit and down the Pirates. All-Ventura Tournament Team selection and Lancers sophomore point guard Jeffrey Dockett totaled 29 points, including four 3-pointers, and he added five steals and four assists.

Sophomore forward Bryce Clifton contributed 12 points, four rebounds and three steals while freshman guard Adrian Miles (Pasadena High) chipped in 11 points, three rebounds and three assists. Freshman center Faruk Oyalade had seven rebounds off the bench.

As they did in the season-opening win over Los Angeles Valley, the team’s defense was impressive, forcing Ventura into 30 turnovers.

In the AVC loss, sophomore transfer forward Taj Spencer scored 15 points with five rebound and two blocked shots as the Lancers’ most effective player. Other PCC players scoring in double figures were Dockett and Miles with 12 points each and guard Brandon Joseph tallying 10. Antelope Valley won its third Ventura title in the past four seasons, including a win over pre-season No. 1 Mt. San Jacinto in the tourney opener.

PCC next plays in the San Bernardino Valley Alvin Hunter Classic November 15-17. The Lancers open with a contest against the host Wolverines on Friday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m.