Giants headed to West Hills-Coalinga ahead of showdown with FCC

By Nick Giannandrea

COS Athletics

College of the Sequoias' men's basketball team has an important hurdle to vault this weekend.

The state No. 9-ranked Giants (17-4, 6-1) need a win Feb. 1 at West Hills-Coalinga (0-21, 0-7) to guarantee at least a share of first place in the Central Valley Conference will be on the line when they play next. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.

COS trails Fresno City (18-3, 7-0) by one game heading into the weekend, when the Rams play at No. 7 Columbia (19-2, 5-2).

The Giants travel to Fresno City at 7 p.m. Feb. 5. The Rams won the first meeting between the long-time rivals 72-53 on Jan. 11 at Porter Field House.

on Feb. 1 to guarantee 

COS hasn't won a conference title since 2010, when it shared the crown with Fresno City. The Ram have won or shared 18 consecutive CVC championships.

The Giants kept within striking distance of Fresno City with a 109-50 victory at West Hills-Lemoore (3-18, 1-6) on Jan. 29.

Tiveon Stroud (Selma), in his second straight game in the starting lineup, helped lead the way with 21 points and nine rebounds as COS won its fifth straight.

Amil Fields (Hayward) continued his sharp long-range shooting, finishing with 17 points while making 4 of 8 from beyond the 3-point arc. Fields -- who also had six rebounds and six assists -- has made 11 of 21 3-pointers over his last three games. COS made 10 of 22 (45.5 percent) of its 3-pointers on the night.

Milton Burnett (Bullard) and Tiyon Martin (Pasadena) -- who have seen their roles expand since an injury to Dewayne Homes (Riverside) -- both had big games for the Giants. Burnett finished with 16 points, seven assists and four steals, while Martin delivered 12 points, six assists and three steals.

COS also received 14 points, 10 rebounds and four steals from Ryan Johnson (Hanford); 18 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and two steals from Elihu Cobb (Santa Maria); and four points and seven assists from Savion Johnson (Hanford West).

The Giants' next home game is Feb. 8 against Merced (8-11, 2-5). Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. from Porter Field House.