Los Angeles, Calif. – After suffering a conference loss to Pasadena City, the Mt. SAC Men's Basketball Team bounced back with a come from behind 84-67 win over LA Trade Tech on Friday, February 14. With the victory, the Mounties improve to a 23-3 record, while LA Trade Tech falls to 11-16. Despite the win, Mt. SAC is no longer at the top of the South Coast Conference North Division, as East Los Angeles College claims the lead with a 24-2 record.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The game began with a quick layup from LA Trade Tech's Jonathan Fields, but the Mounties quickly responded with a pair of free throws followed by a powerful dunk from Ryan Wheeler to take a slight lead. The Beavers countered with a three-pointer and back-to-back free throws from Jerome Smith to keep the lead for the rest of the first half.

Jon McCullough and Kenneth Brown each chipped in seven points, while Jaidyn Simpson was a force defensively, grabbing six rebounds. For the Beavers, Smith led the charge with 14 points, while Andrew Martin and Cevin Garrett each added nine. The Mounties remained close throughout the first half, but with about five minutes left, they found themselves down by 10 points. LA Trade Tech extended its lead to 15 by halftime, with the score at 41-26.

The Mounties came out much stronger in the second half as they began to forge their comeback. Little by little they chipped away at the deficit, starting with a pair of free throws and a three-point shot from Kenneth Brown.Midway through the second half, McCullough hit a layup to give the Mounties a 56-55 lead, and they never looked back.

Brown led the charge with 14 second-half points, followed by Simpson's 12, McCullough's 10, and Wheeler's 8. The Mounties went from 15 rebounds in the first half to 27 in the second, and they improved from three assists in the first half to 13 in the second. Smith scored 11 points in the second half for the Beavers, but it wasn't enough as the Mounties finished strong, securing the 17-point victory.

BY THE NUMBERS:

• Kenneth Brown (Mt. SAC): Team-high 21 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block
• John McCullough (Mt. SAC): 17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals
• Jaidyn Simpson (Mt. SAC): 15 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks
• Ryan Wheeler (Mt. SAC): 14 points, 7 rebounds, 5 blocks
• Jerome Smith (LA Trade Tech): Game-high 25 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists

NEXT UP:

The Mounties will host Los Angeles City College at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, February 19.

STAY CONNECTED:

Follow Mt. SAC Men's Basketball on twitter @MtSAC_MBKB or Instagram /mt.sacbasketball/

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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.