Giants maintain CVC men's basketball lead; host West Hills-Coalinga on Jan. 29
By Nick Giannandrea
COS ATHLETICS
The College of the Sequoias men's basketball team spread the wealth while maintaining its percentage points lead atop the Central Valley Conference.
The Giants made a season-best 32 assists, including a game-leading nine from Seth Dawson (Antioch), while rolling to an 89-72 victory over West Hills-Lemoore on Jan. 26 at Porter Field House.
Sequoias, which is ranked No. 8 in the state by the California Community College Men's Basketball Coaches Association, leads the CVC at 5-1. The Giants are 16-4 overall.
State No. 3 Columbia (18-1) is second in the conference standings at 4-1.
"We have a lot of playmakers on the floor," said Dawson, who also contributed seven points and six rebounds. "I think we trust each other enough to just play basketball."
Sequoias pulled away in the second half while shooting 52.8 percent (19 of 36) from the field and 46.7 percent (7 of 15) on 3-pointers.
"I think we came out pretty slow tonight," Dawson said. "But in the second half we definitely pulled it together and started improving our pace and getting some stops."
Ryan Johnson (Hanford High) scored a season-high 32 points to go along with nine rebounds, three blocks, two assists and a steal as the Giants won their third straight game.
"We're making a lot of improvements," Johnson said. "We've just got to keep moving the ball, hustling and doing all that good stuff, and everything else will fall into place.
"We had great teamwork tonight. Everyone is a pass-first kind of person. If we keep doing that the rest of the year, I think we'll be pretty solid."
Scott Ator (Texas) added 23 points, seven assists, two steals, a rebound and a block for Sequoias.
The Giants also received eight points, 10 rebounds, three assists and a steal from Terri Miller (Clovis North); seven points, two rebounds and two assists from Andre Treadwell (Sacramento); six points, four rebounds, three assists and a block from Bryce Fitzgerald (Las Vegas); and three points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals from Conner Jackson (Dublin).
Sequoias will resume chase of the CVC title and a favorable seeding in the Northern California Regional playoffs when it hosts West Hills-Coalinga (6-11, 1-2) at 3 p.m. Jan. 29. The Giants will host reigning conference champion and state No. 28 Fresno City (9-6, 3-1) at 5 p.m. Feb. 2.
"I feel we have the best team depth-wise one through 12," Dawson said. "I'm really excited about the rest of the year."
Unranked West Hills-Lemoore (7-10, 1-5) kept the game close most of the way behind Mack Tarver Jr., who sank seven 3-pointers en route to a game-leading 33 points. Milton Burnett, who played for Sequoias in 2019-2020, added 13 points, three rebounds and three assists for the Eagles.
