SRJC advances to first state championship final with 49-47 win over Chaffey
By Chris Ruiz, Sports Information Association
NORWALK – Sophomore guard Kai Drewry's (Larkspur, CA/Redwood HS) layup with 3.6 seconds left proved to be the game winner as the Santa Rosa Junior College Bear Cubs advanced to Sunday's state title game after a 49-47 win over the Chaffey College Panthers in semifinal No. 1 of the CCCAA Men's Basketball State Championship at Cerritos College.
The Bear Cubs improved to 23-8 overall and will be making the college's first-ever appearance in the state championship final.
Chaffey took the early lead, opening the contest outscoring Santa Rosa 11-3. John Gilliam (San Bernardino, CA/Upland HS) paced the Panthers scoring seven of Chaffey's 11 points before Santa Rosa responded with a 17-0 run. The Bear Cubs sank five consecutive three-pointers and a got a fastbreak layup from Matthew Hayes (Elk Grove, CA/Pleasant Grove HS) to close the run and jump ahead 20-11 with 3:44 to go in the first. Chaffey missed 14 straight field goals and went scoreless over a 10:28 span. Santa Rosa held a 26-16 advantage at the break.
In the second, the Panthers put together an 8-0 run to get back in the game. Sophomore Adom Jacko's (Alta Loma, CA/Alta Loma HS) jumper at 12:48 got Chaffey within one at 34-33. Moments later, sophomore Julian Nichols (Upland, CA/Upland HS) tied the game at 35 at the 9:41 mark.
Santa Rosa went on to sink seven straight free throws over the next five minutes to go up 45-41 with 2:14 remaining. Nichols tied up the game one final time for Chaffey as he tip in Gilliam's missed shot with just 39 seconds to go.
On Santa Rosa's ensuing possession, the Bear Cubs ran down the clock before Drewry went in for the uncontested layup as the shot clock expired. Chaffey's desperation in-bounds pass to Adom Jacko was caught in mid-air, but he couldn't get his footing down and turned the ball over as time expired.
Hayes led Santa Rosa with 20 points, while Drewry and Alex Cobre (Santa Rosa, CA/Montgomery HS) both had 10 points.
Glliam closed the game for Chaffey (28-6 overall) with 11 points. Jocko posted a team-high eight rebounds to go with nine points.
Next up will be San Bernardino Valley vs Chabot. Watch it live at http://livestats.prestosports.com/cccaa/.