Hagger leads Pirates to strong win over Hornets

COSTA MESA -- Davasyia Hagger controlled the post and received support from several starters as the Orange Coast College men's basketball team picked up a 73-61 Orange Empire Conference win over visiting Fullerton on Wednesday night inside the Peterson Gym.

Hagger led the Pirates (6-14, 4-4 in OEC) with 25 points, while DeAndre Page added 16 points, eight rebounds and four steals. From the outside, Brad Buchignani added 12 points and five rebounds, while Deion Page chipped in 10 points and five boards.

The strong team play overcame a solid individual effort from Hornet guard Ryan Magee, whoe led all scorers with 30 points and 10 rebounds. Adam Johnson also had a double-double for the Hornets (3-20, 0-7) with 10 points and 13 boards.

Both teams went back and forth before Coast went on a 15-2 run over a three-minute period midway through the first half gave the Pirates the lead for good. DeAndre Page scored eight of OCC's 15 during that run, including a rim-rattling slam dunk with 7:23 left in the first half.

The first-half lead grew to as many as 16 before the Hornets chipped away slightly and trailed by 12 at the break, 43-31.

Early in the second half, Fullerton got to within five at 45-40, thanks to a 9-2 run following the break, but Hagger, who scored 15 of his 25 points in the second half, sparked the Pirates back out to a 14-point advantage and they were never threatened the rest of the night. Hagger was 11-of-18 from the floor, including three impressive dunks.

OCC's defense forced 17 Hornet turnovers and turned those miscues into 24 points. 

The win keeps the Pirates just two games behind second-place Irvine Valley in the Orange Empire Conference standings with four games remaining.

The Pirates will return to action on Friday at home against Riverside City College, beginning at 5 p.m. OCC edged the Tigers, 72-67, back on Jan. 14 at RCC.