ELAC Basketball Programs Continue To Rise in Post-Season Play

Note From The Editor: The East L.A. College Huskies’ Men’s & Women’s Basketball programs are becoming “forces-to-be-reckoned-with”  in the California Community College Athletic Association’s (CCCAA)–South Coast Conference, as evidenced by their regular season play, and now as we enter into the best time of the year for hoops fans,”March Madness.”  No matter the level of play, it’s all about the excitement, the school pride factor, and even more, a great opportunity for our players to attract the well-deserved attention of four year college and university recruiters.

As the saying goes,“you can never stop getting better.” And having said that, the best moments of the 2014-2015 season are now here and our teams are there, making some strong and signifcant statements at this vital time of the season. Huge Congrats to the teams and their respective coaches, Bruce Turner, Womens’ Head Coach and (SCC’s North Division “Coach of the Year,” and his colleague, John Mosley, Men’s Head Coach.

At this time we ‘d like to offer you our East L.A. Sports Scene posting in conjunction with Al Cone, ELAC’s Athletic Director and Mario Villegas, ELAC’s well-known and respected Volunteer Sports Information Specialist, first on the Women’s program and their 3rd round playoff win (76-50) over the El Camino “Lady Warriors,”  on 3/4/15, and then we follow it up with the Men’s recent playoff win over the Southwestern College“Jaguars”  (Chula Vista, CA) on the same day.

For more information on all SCC teams, go to CCCAASports.org.  Rico Cabrera, Sr./Editor, EastLASportsScene.Com.

Next Up For Women: At Home in the “E-Dome” vs. the Irvine Valley College “Lasers,” Saturday, March 7th, 7 pm Tip-off.

Next Up For Men: Away at Long Beach City College “Vikings,” Saturday, March 7th,  7 pm Tip-off

Credits: Al Cone, ELAC Athletic Director, Press Releases; Mario Villegas, ELAC Volunteer, Athletics Department, Photo Gallery; Sarai Trinidad, Sarai Trinidad Photography, Team Photo.

March 6, 2015/Press Release 

   Women’s Basketball Advances to Elite 8

Huskies (28-3) Play Irvine Valley (27-3) Saturday Night at Home

(MONTEREY PARK, CA) – For the second time in four years, the East Los Angeles College women’s basketball team has reached the elite eight of the State playoffs. The No. 2 seeded Huskies play the No. 3 seeded Irvine Valley College at 7 p.m. Saturday at ELAC in the Southern California Region semifinals. The winner will go to the State Championships March 14 and 15 at Cerritos College.

ELAC defeated visiting No. 7 El Camino College, 70-56 in a Southern California Region third round playoff game Wednesday to improve its record to 28-3. Irvine Valley (27-3) beat No. 6 Bakersfield, 71-53. It will be the second meeting of the season between ELAC and Irvine Valley this season, and if Saturday’s semifinal is anything like the first at the season’s outset, then expect another tight game that will go down to the wire.

The Huskies edged the Lasers, 66-65 in overtime in the championship semifinals of the Saddleback Tournament Nov. 22. ELAC has reached the Southern California semifinals for the second time in four years under Coach Bruce Turner. The Huskies were defeated by top seed Mt. San Antonio College in 2012, losing 62-60.

Playoff victories against El Camino and Antelope Valley College (66-60) have put the Huskies back into the semifinals this season. All-State freshman guard Olivia Ochoa and sophomore forward Jocelyne Diaz helped lead ELAC to Wednesday’s third round win over El Camino. Ochoa, an All-City Section standout at Roosevelt High School, scored 18 points and Diaz, a Whittier High product, scored 17 and had a team-leading eight rebounds. Guard

The Huskies also got seven points, seven steals, five rebounds and two assists from freshman guard Kyla Martin-Burnley (Etiwanda HS), and nine points, five rebounds and three assists from freshman forward Abigail Vasquez (Wilson HS). Vianey Chavez (Schurr HS) had nine points and five rebounds and two steals. Guadalupe Perez (Garfield HS) chipped in five points and five key rebounds.

After a sluggish start, ELAC built a 34-25 halftime lead against El Camino. But the Warriors (21-7) rallied in the second half, using a stunning 18-6 run to go ahead, 43-40 six minutes into the second half. The Huskies answered thanks to Ochoa, who stepped up and hit consecutive baskets. Chavez drilled a three-pointer to give the lead back to the Huskies, 47-43. Vasquez converted a three-point play and scored a nifty layup to help keep ELAC ahead. The Huskies used a 19-7 run in the final 6:08 to win it.

“We pride ourselves on our stamina and we wore them (El Camino) down late in the second half,” Turner said. “El Camino is a good team. They’re 21-9 and wouldn’t be playing in this round of the playoffs if they weren’t.”

Photo Gallery: Hover to read captions and click once on each photo for an enlarged image.

March 6, 2015/Press Release

   Men’s Basketball Eyes State Final Four

Huskies (20-10) Upset Southwestern; Play at Long Beach Saturday

(MONTEREY PARK) – Talk about March Madness, the East Los Angeles College men’s basketball team scored another upset victory to extend its drive toward a State championship.The 13^th seed Huskies (20-10) – the lowest remaining seed in the Southern California Region – defeated No. 5 Southwestern College, 79-65 in the third round Wednesday to reach the elite eight of the State playoffs.

A victory against No. 8 Long Beach City College Saturday at Long Beach in a State regional championship game will send ELAC to next week’s State final four at Cerritos College for the first time in the history of the college. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. Long Beach (23-6) advanced by stunning top seed Mt. San Antonio College, 75-72. ELAC-Long Beach is a matchup of two teams from the South Coast Conference. Six weeks ago, Long Beach, the SCC North champion, defeated the Huskies, who finished second in the SCC South, 74-71.

But the Huskies have won nine of 10 games since that narrow loss Jan. 23 at Long Beach. They scored their sixth straight win Wednesday at Southwestern. ELAC Coach John Mosley expects another tight game with Long Beach. “It’s going to be a fight to the finish just like it was the last time we played them,” he said. “Long Beach is similar to us, with three guards who can score and two very active forwards who defend and get rebounds. We’re going to have to be able to match them.” Long Beach will be the third playoff opponent the Huskies faced during the regular season, and as Mosley noted, “We’re familiar with them and we’re familiar with their court.”

The Huskies are used to playing on the road, having played 23 of 30 games away from home. In only his third season, Mosley has already become one of the most successful coaches in ELAC history. He has guided the Huskies to a 61-27  record and the 2014 South Coast Conference-North Championship. Besides Southwestern, ELAC also defeated fourth seed Antelope Valley, 111-106 in the second round. The Huskies opened the playoffs with a 96-91 win over Victor Valley in a play-in game.

Je’Ron Primus, a sophomore guard from Westchester High School, scored 17 points to lead the Huskies at Southwestern Wednesday. Guard Marcus Romain (Progressive Christian Academy, Maryland) put in 15 points to go with four rebounds and three steals. Guard Mike Cardenas (Fontana A.B. Miller HS) connected on four of eight three-pointers to add 12 points.

Forward Marquis Salmon (Village Christian HS) had nine points and recorded 10 rebounds and two assists. Forward Primitivo Gomez (Arroyo HS) scored seven points and had five rebounds and two assists. Guards Te’shon Burton (Leuzinger HS) and Miles Ford (Alhambra HS), and forward Richard Bivens (Bakersfield Ridgeview HS) continue to come off the bench to provide solid and steady play.