Pirates stumble in second chance

Bryce Alderton

Another opportunity greeted the Orange Coast College men’s basketball

team Wednesday in their second to last Orange Empire Conference game

against host Golden West.

With a win, the Pirates could pad their resume in hopes of

securing one of 20 spots for the Southern California regional

playoffs while avenging an 11-point loss earlier this season to the

Rustlers in what Coast guard Lance Ortiz called the team’s “worst

game of the season.”

But for the second time this season, the Rustlers proved up to the

challenge, this time upsetting Coast, 78-69, while snapping a

four-game losing streak.

Jontae Vinson tallied team-highs in points (23) and rebounds (13)

and was one of four Rustlers to score in double figures.

Vinson grabbed eight offensive rebounds, helping Golden West

(8-17, 5-8 in conference) outrebound Coast, 44-34, and earn a 19-6

edge in second-chance points.

Ortiz led all scorers with 24 points while tallying four assists

for the Pirates (14-12, 5-8), who had won four of six entering the

contest, and sat in fifth in the eight-team conference.

“Rebounding,” said Ortiz when asked what turned a close game with

a little more than three minutes left into a Rustler victory. “[The

Rustlers] outhustled us. I credit them. We didn’t play strong.”

The Rustlers hit 12 of 16 free throws in the final 3 minutes, 47

seconds after the Pirates cut a nine-point second-half deficit to

64-63 on a Matt Davis layin.

The Bucs then went nearly three minutes without scoring. By the

time Ortiz converted a layup off a spin move, Coast trailed, 72-65,

with 56 seconds left.

Coast aided the Rustlers down the stretch by committing its 10th

team foul of the second half with 2:59 left, giving the hosts two

free throws on any foul.

The Pirates only led twice -- their largest margin came at 18-15.

The closest they came after a 39-36 halftime deficit was 43-43 with

after an Ortiz three-pointer.

Coast’s momentum, however, derailed twice when officials whistled

two Pirates for technical fouls in the final 15 minutes. The first

one, which came at 14:32 and Coast trailing, 45-44, was followed by a

6-0 Rustler run.

A Reggie Brown three trimmed Golden West’s lead to 54-49 with

10:38 remaining, but a referee issued another technical to a Coast

player two possessions later as play transitioned down the court.

Daniel Mathews hit four quick points to quell Golden West’s

cushion to 58-49 with 9:55 left.

Orange Empire Conference

Golden West 78,

Orange Coast 69

Orange Coast -- Seifert 0, Chester 4, Brown 11, James 3, Ortiz 24,

Williams 9, Mendoza 0, Davis 18, Valentine 0, Colteaux 0, Cameron 0.

3-pt. goals -- Ortiz 3, Brown 1, Williams 2.

Fouled out -- Brown, Davis.

Technicals -- Cameron, Davis.

Golden West -- Robinson 2, Vinson 23, Th. Taylor 13, Mathews 16,

Ti. Taylor 15, Lucas 0, Peterson 4, Fieros 5.

3-pt. goals -- Mathews 3, Ti. Taylor 3.

Halftime -- Golden West, 39-36.