East LA Keeps Win Streak Going, Downs LA Harbor

by Cerwin D Haynes

(thumbnails by Henry Caceres)

With conference play beginning next week, East LA College Men's Basketball needed to keep the good vibes going by protecting their win streak against an LA Harbor College (5-13) team not quite on the level of the previous season's team. Despite a shaky second half, the Huskies (13-5) made their first-half lead stand en route to a 89-78 win. Freshman G Daniel Michelini-Jackson enjoyed his best shooting and scoring performance of the season, hitting 8-11 shots - including 6-7 from three - for a career-high 31 points. East LA now have won 10-straight games.

Going into halftime, all the signs pointed towards an potentially easy win with the Huskies leading the Seahawks 52-36 at the break. The Pack outshot the Seahawks in the period 53.1% to 37.9%, and bested Harbor in practically every stat category. Michelini-Jackson was shooting lights-out: 22 points on 6-7 shooting, perfect from three (5-5) and from the line (5-5). The Huskies assisted on 14 of their 17 made field goals, and had five blocked shots in the half.

The home Green increase their lead to 21 at the 17:17 mark as it looked like they would run away with this one. LA Harbor not only hung around, but seemed to draw the Huskies into the mud with chirpiness: what could best be described as "extracurricular communication". The Pack would lose some of its bite as the Seahawks whittled the lead down to nine over a 10-minute stretch of play. But East would regain enough of their composure, capping an 11-1 run off a Shemar Morrow layup to take a 83-64 lead with 3:40 left.

HUSKY BITS

• Sophomore F Gregory Melvin had 11 points and six rebounds.
• Freshman lead G Kamren Williams had a season-high eight assists to go along with six points.
• Freshman G/F Ryan Ellis had three blocks off the bench as his defense in the first half helped the Huskies build their lead. Tonight was only his fourth appearance of the season.
• LA Harbor freshman PG Marques Calcote had a team-high 22 points, including 10-12 from the free throw line. The Seahawks shot an impressive 22-26 (84.6%) from the charity stripe as a team.

UP NEXT:

SCC-North conference play begins Wednesday when East LA heads up to Pasadena City to take on an improved Lancers squad. Tip off at 5pm.