SBVC (27-3; 8-1) avenged an earlier season loss on the road and grabbed a tie atop the Foothill Conference with one game left, knocking off the Rancho Cucamonga Chaffey Panthers (21-6; 8-1), 81-80.

This game featured one of the most bizarre endings to a game in recent memory, a fast paced, almost chaotic lead up to the final minutes, and then it ended.

From the tip off Chaffey built an early lead, giving themselves a cushion of six points three minutes into the game. To tie the game at 20-20 with 11:15 left in the first half, SBVC had to go on a 14-8 run over a five minute span. Then SBVC went on a 16-3 run to build their largest lead of the game at 13-points, 38-25 with 5:00 remaining in the half. Both teams would go into halftime with SBVC up 44-37.

The Panthers would use a 6-0 run early in the second half to take a crucial 55-54 lead, but that lead was torpedoed when sophomore guard Zack Rollins (Westchester (NY) Pelham Memorial) nailed his second three-pointer on the night, giving SBVC the lead for good. With 2:15 left in the game, SBVC took an almost insurmountable 8-point lead, 77-69, on a gigantic dunk by sophomore forward JaCardo Hawkins (Gonzales (LA) East Ascension), then the game started to go sideways.

Over the next 2:15 SBVC committed four fouls, sending the Panthers to the line seven times, where they converted all seven of their free throws. Bear in mind, that this whole time, SBVC still has the lead. SBVC found themselves at the line six times, where they converted four of their free throws.

With eight seconds on the clock, sophomore guard Perris Hicks (Pasadena H.S.) made his first free throw and missed his second, giving SBVC a three point lead, 81-78. Chaffey darted up the court, shot a desperation three attempt, which fell way short and was rebounded by a Panthers player, who nonchalantly laid it up and in as the buzzer sounded.

Four of SBVC's five starters would score in double figures as Hicks led SBVC with 20 points on 7 of 13 shooting, going 2 for 7 from beyond the arc, leading the team in steals with four and freshman forward Brandon Jolley (Pasadena H.S.) added 16 points on 4 of 14 shooting, going 8 of 11 from the charity stripe, leading the team with five assists.

Freshman guard Robert Lewis (Compton H.S.) contributed 15 points on 6 of 10 shooting, going 2 for 4 from 3-point range and Hawkins put up his ninth double-double of the season with 11 points on 5 of 8 shooting and 11 boards in the win. Rollins came off of the bench to add 12 points on 4 of 7 shooting, going 2 for 3 from beyond the arc.

Photo by Wade Byars.
Information, Photos & Story provided by SBVC Sports Information.