CCSF Basketball Teams Headed to State Semifinals

By Marcus Tolero

The City College of San Francisco's basketball teams are one game away from a state title championship appearance.

This weekend the Men's and Women's teams head to Las Positas College for the California Community College Athletic Association's state semi-finals. The No. 1 Men's Team (30-1) plays No.2 South Chaffey College Panthers (25-6), and the No.1 Women's Team (28-3) takes on No.2 South East Los Angeles Huskies (23-9).

The men's team are fresh off the heels of an 84-46 victory over No.5 College of Sequoias Eagles this past Saturday. The Rams came out the gates quick and established a fast-paced tempo that the Eagles could not handle. After the game's first six minutes passed, the Rams were on an unbelievable 25-4 run.

The 38-point victory over the Eagles was due to the all-around offensive contributions from the Rams' deep and talented roster. Five players finished the game with double-figure point totals. Guards Shon Briggs, Trevor Dunbar, and Zachary Copeland and forward LaDonovan Wilder each scored 11 points. Guard Troy Thompson finished the game with a teamhigh 14 points.

The Rams' next opponent, Chaffey, are coming off an 84-78 win over No.7 Antelope Valley College Marauders. Three of five Panthers' starters finished the game with over 20 points. Guards Brian Beard and Victor Joseph and forward Christopher Edward scored 22 points, 20 points, and 25 points, respectively. The matchup will be a battle between the Rams' stifling defense and the Panther's high scoring offense. For the season, the Rams have allowed 69.4 points per game while the Panther's offense averages 85.5 points a game.

Although the Rams have beaten their three previous playoff opponents by more than 30 points, Rams Head Coach Justin Labagh knows Saturday's game will not be easy.

"Chaffey is super quick and athletic. We're not going to underestimate them. We're just going to study their tendencies and try to take them out of what they do best," Labagh said.

The women's team head into the final four after a nail-biting 64-56 win over No.4 Diablo Valley College Vikings. The Rams dominated the first two quarters of the game and finished the first half up 34-17. But their sizable lead evaporated quickly when the Vikings finished the third quarter on a 28-14 run. The Rams were up 48-45 at the end of the third quarter.

The Rams depended on their lock-down defense to guide their team to victory in the fourth quarter. Sophomores Guard Kelly Wong and Center Danielle Palmer set the defensive tone. Wong minimized the Vikings perimeter with her ballhawking display – she finished the game with seven steals. Palmer, who came off a nine-block performance in her previous game, almost matched that total by blocking eight Vikings' shots.

Head Coach Derek Lau said that their final four appearance is a culmination of the dedication his staff and players have put into the year. "All the hard work that we've put in all season is starting to pay off. We're not done yet, but it's a big accomplishment. I'm so proud and excited for this team," Lau said.

The Rams will play an East Los Angeles squad that is coming off a 76-65 win over No.2 Mount San Jacinto College Eagles. The Huskies received double-digit point contributions from five players, and forced an amazing 20 Eagles' turnovers. The matchup will come down to the Rams' defense versus the Huskies' offense. On the year, the Rams have allowed 52.9 points per game and the Huskies have scored 73.1 points per game.

"It will be a fast-paced, up-and-down shoot-it-up game. The just play a great brand of basketball, they are very well coached, and they play solid defense. They are very similar to us," Lau said.

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