ELAC men’s basketball wins home opener

MONTEREY PARK, CA — The state’s No. 8-ranked East Los Angeles College Huskies men’s basketball team won its initial home game of the season with a 91-76 win against LA Pierce College today.

ELAC fought back from a four-point halftime deficit, 40-36, and outscored the Brahmas 55-36 in the second half to win by 15.

Four Huskies scored in double figures, freshman Roderick Williams (Price High School) and sophomore guards, Zeno Lake (Compton HS) and Sequan Walker (Long Beach Cabrillo HS). Sophomore forward Chima Wami (Corona Santiago HS) came off the bench and scored 11 points.

Roderick scored 20 points, as did Brahma freshman shooting guard Dakota Abbott (Valencia HS). Lake added 18 points; Walker added 16 and Wami scored 11.

ELAC outshot Pierce 56.3 percent to 43.9. Walker shot a perfect 4-for-4.

The Huskies outrebounded Pierce 36-26. Lake had a game-high nine rebounds, four off the offensive boards. Williams brought down eight rebounds and Walker had seven.

ELAC had 27 assists to nine for Pierce. Husky sophomore guard Chandler Redix (Cathedral HS) had a game-high eight assists, Walker had six and freshman guard Frank Bertz (Sultana HS) had five.

Bertz led the Huskies in steals with two. Four Huskies had one each that included freshman guard Robert Fuller (St. Bernard HS).

The Huskies had seven blocked shots, three from Williams and one each from sophomores, forward Zavier Harris (Temecula HS) and guard Jalen Gilmore (Washington Prep HS), Redix, and freshman guard Jermaine Small-Camacho (Hamilton HS).

Next up for the Huskies is the double-elimination Riverside Holiday Tournament Tuesday, Dec. 6 through Friday, Dec. 9. Riverside City College (6-2) hosts all tournament games.

The tournament includes seven Southern California ranked teams that includes No. 2 South Coast Conference North Division foe Chaffey College (6-1), No. 5 Compton (4-1) and No. 8 San Bernardino (6-0).

There are four ranked teams in ELAC’s bracket, No. 1 Saddleback College (6-2), No. 4 Fullerton College (4-2) and No. 8 Mt. San Jacinto College (6-3).

The Huskies, 5-1 overall, meet Victor Valley (1-6) on Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. If ELAC wins, they will face Saddleback College (6-2) on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 1 p.m.

story submitted by Tadzio Garcia