(Walnut, CA) For the first time in seven years, the Mt. SAC Men's Basketball team has won a CCCAA playoff game and advanced to the second round.
The Mounties, who advanced to the second round in the 2016 season, have won a Southern California Regional first-round game with a nail-biting, 75-71, win over visiting Mt. San Jacinto Tuesday (March 1).
With the win, Mt. SAC improved to 19-7 overall, with its biggest win total since 2014.
The Mounties now get the No. 1 seed Fullerton (24-3) in a second-round on Thursday (March 3) at Fullerton. The game time is 7:00 pm.
"We're moving forward and the kids worked hard and we got an opportunity to play at home," said Mt. SAC first-year coach Mike Fenison of the win.
"We did well and we executed the very last part of the game and Shaquil (Bender) made those two free throws and the game was over. He played well (Bender) and he carried us."
The two free throws Fenison was talking about iced the game for the Mounties.
With the Mounties holding a five-point lead, 73-68, San Jacinto closed the gap with a 3-pointer to close within a basket, 73-71, with 1.7 seconds left in the game.
After the ball was inbounded, Shaquil Bender was immediately fouled and he calmly drained both shots for the four-point lead.
"I knew I was going to make them both," said Bender of the free throws. "It iced the game for our first playoff game.
"Coach did an excellent job drawing up the scouting report."
Bender also scored a season-high 30 points for the Mounties, which also included 11-22 FGM-A, 3-9 3PM-A, 5-6 FTM-A, 9 RB, 4 A, 4 Stls, and 1 Blk.
The other half of the scoring duo for the Mounties was sophomore guard Khalid Wilkins (7-16 FGM-A, 3-8 3PM-A, 4-6 FTM-A, 4 RB, 1 A, 3 Stls.) with 21 points. It was his second-highest scoring game of the season.
Mt. SAC's Lowrance McClain (2-3 FGM-A, 1-2 3PM-A, 3-4 FTM-A, 4 RB, 2 A) added eight points and sophomore forward Dyren Brown (2-7 FGM-A, 1-5 3PM-A, 2-2 FTM-A, 9 RB, 2 A, Blk.) scored seven.
"Khalid (Wilkins) is one heck of a player and he plays hard all of the time. That's what I love about him," said Bender, of Wilkins.
The first half was nearly all of the scoring duo of Bender and Wilkins, as they combined for 30 of the 38 Mountie points.
"We all had a common goal and executed it and get it done and that's what we did (Tuesday)," Khalid said of their season-long goal. "We got to give it up to the coaches. We get here and nobody knows each other and we're all a new group, coming from different places, from Atlanta, Philly and we all had a common goal, and that's what we did.
"Shaquil and I had it going on the offensive end, but everybody as a collective unit had it going on at the defensive end. That's all I can say."
Throughout the first half, neither team led by more than three points. But Bender connected with a 3-pointer to give the Mounties a 24-21 lead and they went on a 7-1 run to lead, 31-23.
The second half was more of the same as Mt. SAC never trailed. The Mounties were clinging to a one-point lead, 64-63, with 1:47 left in the game, and Bender, hit a big 3-pointer to put Mt. SAC up by four, 67-63. McClain scored under the basket to extend the lead to, 69-63, 30 seconds later.
Both teams traded baskets and the Mounties held on for the victory.
"We're working hard and it's not as easy as it looks some days," said Fenison, of the rebuilding of the program. "This is a very proud program. The history of the basketball team is amazing.
"We just need to get better at getting more people to come and help us to move it up a little higher."
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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.