ELAC Men’s Basketball Team Gets Fourth Seed and Home Advantage

MONTEREY PARK, CA — The East Los Angeles College men’s basketball team earned the No. 4-seed from placement of the 20 teams in the California Community College Athletic Association Southern California Regional Bracket.  

With the fourth seed, the Huskies have a Round 1 bye and the home court advantage in the Bracket if they win out.

ELAC, 24-5 overall, won its fourth South Coast Conference North Division in five years and third straight with a 9-1 record enroute to the postseason.

The Huskies face the winner of No. 11-seed Santiago Canyon (19‐9) / No. 20-seed College of the Canyons (14‐13) on Saturday. Santiago Canyon placed fifth in probably the toughest conference in the state, the Orange Empire. The Orange Empire is the only conference that advanced five teams into the bracket.

Although a new season begins with the playoffs, ELAC defeated Canyons 73-50 in the second game of the season. Against eight common opponents, ELAC went 7-1, Santiago Canyon 5-3.

Top dogs for the Husky Pack includes sophomore forward Roderick Williams (Price HS) who averages 19.3 points per game (ranked No. 22 in the state), sophomore guard Frank Bertz (Sultana HS) who shoots 48.1 percent from beyond the arc (seventh best in the state), freshman center Solomon Hunt (Upland HS) who shoots 62.8 percent (sixth best in the state) and freshman forward Jacob Tryon (Great Oak HS) who averages 2.1 blocked shots per game (seventh best in the state).

Game time for Saturday, Feb. 24 is 7 p.m. If the Huskies win, they will host a Round 3 game on Saturday, March 3, time to be announced. This winner advances to the State Championship Bracket.

The Men’s State Championships will be held at Ventura College from Friday, March 9 to Sunday, March 11. If the Huskies advance, it will be their third trip in four years.

Follow ELAC Athletics at http://athletics.elac.edu/landing/index or on Facebook at ELAC Huskies Athletics (@elachuskiesathletics). 

story submitted by Tadzio Garcia