Pirates pick up win in tournament finale
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
LA Pierce (3-6) | 39 | 48 | 87 |
|
Orange Coast (2-5) | 39 | 55 | 94 |
GLENDORA -- The Orange Coast College men's basketball team found some success in the final game of the Neil Edwards Classic this past weekend and posted a 94-87 win over L.A. Pierce College on Sunday.
Sunday's win helps take a bit of the sting off of OCC's earlier NEC matches -- a 77-67 loss to host Citrus College on Friday and a 66-52 setback to San Diego City College on Saturday.
Against the Brahmas, the Pirates trailed 77-76 with just over five minutes remaining before they used a 11-3 run over the next four minutes to lead 87-80. Back-to-back three-point plays by Michael Niezner and Noah Prouse helped give Coast (2-5) the lead for good during that run.
Brad Buchignani led Coast with 28 points on 10-of-13 shooting, while all-tournament selection Devaun Evans added 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
Against SD City, the Pirates struggled to get points on the scoreboard, shooting just 27 percent from the floor, including 5-of-27 from 3-point range. Prouse and Spencer Poston each scored six points to lead OCC's offense.
Against Citrus, OCC carried a lead throughout the first half and with just under 13 minutes left in the game, Coast led 56-48 against one of the top teams in Southern California.
But the Owls responded with a 12-0 run over the next seven minutes to lead 60-56. OCC would regain composure and returned to the lead, 67-64, with 3:13 left, but that would be the final points for the Pirates the rest of the way.
Citrus closed out the game with a 13-0 run and OCC finished the game by missing its last seven shots. Evans led the way with 17 points, seven rebounds and five steals, while Prouse added 15 points and five rebounds.
Coast will resume tournament action on Friday at the Mt. San Antonio College Tournament against San Diego City on Friday, beginning at 1 p.m.
