21st-seeded Mira Costa stuns third-seeded San Diego City to earn spot in CCCAA Men's Basketball Championship Tournament
SAN DIEGO - It took everything the #21 seed, MiraCosta College, had to overcome a talented San Diego City College team. The Spartans came into the game with incredible confidence and momentum but had dropped three games to the Knights previously this season. Tonight, however, the Spartans found a way to hold on for a 68-64 win. With the win MiraCosta earns their way to the CCCAA state championships, the final eight teams in the state of California.
Early in the game both teams struggled to score and at halftime MiraCosta held a narrow 21-19 lead.
The second half was a different story. The pace sped up, and both teams scored more points, with the Spartans taking a double digit lead late in the second half. Much like in previous games between these two team, San Diego City made a late run to cut the lead to three. With just minutes left, MiraCosta took care of the ball, made their free throws, and sealed their victory to make history.
The win marks the first time MiraCosta has advanced to the State Championships after the CCCAA changed the format of the tournament, removing the small school division. Multiple times Spartans teams coached by Clete Adelman (1996, 1998) lost in the regional championship, just one game away. In 1982 MiraCosta advanced to the semi-finals of the state tournament in the small schools division.
Head Coach Ryan Frazer, in just his third year at MiraCosta, leads his team to the State Championships. It is also notable that the Spartans survive and advance as the #21 seed, in a tournament that only had 22 seeds in the southern region. MiraCosta, true road warriors, won three games as the visiting team, in a total time span of just five days.
MiraCosta was led on the court by sophomores Julian Williams and Carter Plousha. Williams scored 25 points on an extremely efficient game, 8-12 from the field, 4-6 from the three point line, and 5-6 from the free throw line. Plousha added a monster double double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Lightning quick point guard, Lamont Couch Jr., added nine points and some key free throws in late minutes. Freshman center Nigel Wilson contributed six points and seven rebounds while playing a key match up against a very talented center for San Diego City. Jordan Campbell, Jayden Winfrey, and Patrick McLachlan combined for 17 points.
The Spartan defensive effort was tremendous, holding the Knights to 32% shooting from the field and just 20% from behind the three point line. It was clear that every MiraCosta player was ready, willing and committed to defending for 40 minutes.
(MiraCosta Athletics)