Orange Out planned as Giants host Butte in NorCal Regional playoff Feb. 28
By Nick Giannandrea
COS Athletics
Few California community college men's basketball teams share the wealth as well as College of the Sequoias.
The Giants (22-6) rank second in the state with an average of 22.3 assists per game heading into their Northern California Regional playoffs opener against No. 12 Butte (16-10), scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 28 at Porter Field House.
Only state top-ranked San Francisco, which scores 17.3 more points a game than COS, averages more assists at 25.2.
The Giants feature five players who average at least two assists per game, led by sophomore Tiyon Martin (Pasadena) at 5.2. Sophomores Dewayne Holmes (Riverside) and Savion Johnson (Hanford West) average 4.6 and 2.8 assists per game, respectively, while freshmen Ryan Johnson (Hanford) and Milton Burnett (Bullard) average 2.6 and 2.3.
"We've got a lot of talent on the floor, and we have to make sure we keep sharing the basketball," first-year COS coach Dallas Jensen said. "Kudos to our guys for buying in and passing up good shots for great shots."
Jensen said his fifth-seeded Giants will need to remain unselfish against the 12th-seeded Roadrunners. Butte finished second in the Golden Valley Conference and are making their 13th trip to the playoffs under 22nd-year coach Russ Critchfield.
"This is an intriguing match-up," Jensen said. "Butte is really well coached. Rich Critchfield has been doing this for a long time. He's been successful for years and always produces high level basketball."
COS, which finished ranked No. 12 in the final California Community College Men's Basketball Coaches' Association state poll, has been playing some high level basketball recently, too.
The Giants closed the regular season by topping the century scoring mark in their final two games: a 111-98 victory over Porterville on Feb. 19 and a 113-56 defeat of West Hills-Lemoore on Feb. 21.
"I feel like we're playing really well right now," Jensen said. "I think we're peaking at the right time."
COS hopes to be at full strength by the time the round two NorCal Regional playoff game tips off.
On the same night the Giants welcomed Holmes back into the rotation after missing 10 straight games with an injury, Burnett missed the first of the team's final two regular season games with an injury. And Savion Johnson exited COS' regular-season finale with an injury.
Jensen said neither Burnett nor Johnson have been ruled out, but they aren't certain to play against Butte, either.
"We're trying to make sure our guys are healthy," Jensen said. "That's always the interesting part of playing this late in the season. Managing the wear and tear on bodies."
COS is out to reach the state's Elite Eight tournament for the second straight season and the third time in the past five seasons.
If the Giants defeat Butte, they would move on to a round three game against either No. 4 Yuba (23-5) or No.13 Las Positas (20-8) on March 7. The winner of that game, which would be played at the site of the best remaining seed, advances to the Elite Eight, set for March 13-15 at West Hills-Lemoore.
"It only takes one team to get hot at the right time to make a run," Jensen said. "I feel like this team is capable of making a run at getting to Lemoore. But I also know if you don't bring your 'A' game, you can be out after 40 minutes. So we have to stay focused and execute a game plan and see if we can survive."
COS is planning an "Orange Out" for the game against Butte, with the school giving away free orange t-shirts to all Giants fans.
Admission, as set by the California Community College Athletic Association, is $12 for adults and $8 for seniors and students. COS passes will not be honored, by CCCAA rules.
Jensen is hoping for a packed Porter Field House.
"The more support we can get on Friday the better,' Jensen said. "Every extra body, every extra voice can help this team and hopefully push us over the top."
