Second-Half Defense Helps Huskies Pull Away from El Camino

by Cerwin D Haynes

Riding a season-high seven-game win streak, East LA College men's basketball (ranked #30 in state) hosted an El Camino College team tonight that - on paper - looked to be the kind of team ELAC should beat if they have plans for the postseason.

The Warriors initially seemed not to get the memo: ECC (6-10) kept close to the Huskies, trailing by only single digits before East (11-5) gradually took full control of the game over the final nine minutes and ran away 90-64. Sophomore G Brandon Wilson came off the bench to lead the home Green with 20 points, eight rebounds and two steals.

The first half was played at a near breakneck speed, with both teams shooting over 50% from the field. In fact, the Huskies had one of the best shooting halves of the season: 54.8% from the field, including 44.4% (4-9) from three for 45 first-half points. The problem was that El Camino shot even better from three-point land at 53.3% (8-15), which allowed them to keep pace, scoring 40 in the half.

ELAC head coach John Mosley made certain defensive adjustments in the second half that slowed down ECC's shooting. Among them was inserting freshman G Seydi Thiombaine (younger brother of ELAC alum Babacar Thiombaine): not only did he tally six points and six rebounds in the latter period, his perimeter defense threw ice water on shooters such as ECC G Zachary Bates (3-4 3FGs first half, 0-5 second half).

The Warriors shot only 3-15 from three, and 9-28 overall for the second half. But it took the Huskies a little while to finally take full advantage and put El Camino away. With 9:19 left, the Pack held an eight-point lead at 64-56. From that point on, ELAC outscored the Warriors 26-8, including a 16-0 run starting with 3:14 left.

HUSKY BITS

• Freshman G Daniel Michelini-Jackson had 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists. He scored 25 points Wednesday in ELAC's win at Cerritos.
• Sophomore G/F Gregory Melvin also had 12 points while tacking on three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
• ELAC enjoyed perhaps their best game in terms of passing and ball movement. They had 22 assists on 25 made baskets, a sign that this young team is getting a better hold on Coach Mosley's offensive principles.
• El Camino freshman G Shamar Carter had a game-high (and season-high) 32 points, shooting a blistering 12-19 from the field including an impressive 8-12 from beyond the arc.

UP NEXT:

East LA will put their eight-game win streak on the line next Wednesday when they visit the #23 state-ranked LA Southwest College Cougars in a week where the Huskies will face two fellow-LACCD opponents (LA Harbor comes into Monterey Park on Friday the 19th).