COS Outlasts Fresno

In front of a packed Porter Field House Wednesday night, the COS men's basketball team (14-9) came away with a 81-79 over long time conference rival Fresno City College (19-6). "It was a slugfest" said COS head coach Rusty Smith, "I can't remember a recent game  that I've been a part of that has had that many lead changes. I was just happy to see we had the lead when the final buzzer sounded." Throughout the course of the night COS and Fresno were tied 13 times and there were 21 lead changes. Neither team led by more than six points at any given time.  

The game seemed to be slipping away from the Giants with 3:44 left to go when Will Dorsey of Fresno City College hit a jump shot in the lane to extend Fresno City's lead to 71-66. But then COS' Dida Pereira, Derek Check, and Simon Krajovic took the game over down the stretch. In the final three minutes of the game COS outscored Fresno 15-8 with Dida Pereira hitting two three pointers, Simon Krajovic made a three point play with two minutes to play, and Derek Check hit three free throws in the final thirty seconds of the game to secure the victory.

"Those three guys came up big in the last few minutes of the game. Dida hit two big three pointers when it seemed like we had lost all momentum and Simon and Derek did a great job of handling their pressure. It was a team win" said Smith. "I would also like to thank our community for coming out and packing the gym, I felt the support we received tonight gave us the extra energy we needed to get over the top."

COS has a bye this Saturday before going on the road next Wednesday to face Columbia College for the beginning of the second round of conference play.