SCC Crossover Swing All Men's Basketball

The Pasadena City College men's basketball team's crossover trip through the South Coast Conference South Division has been a fruitful one thus far for the Lancers. PCC is 3-0 in the new year and 3-0 v. the other division after knocking off Compton, 71-59, Friday night at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium. PCC earned other crossover wins over LA Southwest and LA Harbor.

With assistant coach Jesse Ellis directing the team as head coach Michael Swanegan missed due to personal reasons, the Lancers improved to 11-5, winning their fifth out their last six contests. PCC surpassed last season's win total (10) with 12 regular season games, including the entire 10-game SCC North schedule, yet to be played. 

Pasadena led for most of the first half, but Compton grabbed a 34-33 halftime lead on an Aaron Gibson bank shot with 20 seconds left in the period. PCC took the lead for good at 42-39 on a 3-pointer by Josiah Woods. After Compton cut the score to 51-49, the Lancers went on a high-flying, 9-0 scoring spurt with Ivan Egbunike and Chris Odionu making thundering, back-to-back slams. Khristion Courseault followed with a trey and a layup for a 60-49 advantage. Courseault hit two more 3s down the stretch to put the game on ice.

The Lancers broke a 4-year, 6-game losing streak v. Compton. The Tartars (9-7) were led by Samoore Riley Jr., who scored 15 points off the bench. 

Odionu, who scored PCC's first nine points of the game, finished with a game-high 20 points, adding seven rebounds and four steals. Courseault tallied 16 points and Woods scored 11. Chris Blount once again was huge in the post as he scored eight points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and dished out six assists. Jordan Simpson contributed six points, eight rebounds and blocked four shots. 

The Lancers defense has moved up to No. 12 in the state in points allowed per game (67.3) and have allowed only a stingy average of 58.7 during their current 3-game win streak. 

PCC, 4-1 at home this season, will try for their fourth straight win v. a SCC South opponent when it hosts Long Beach City College on Wednesday, Jan. 16. Tip-off is 6 p.m.