Compton Hands Owls First Loss of 2017

Rancho Cucamonga, CA - El Camino College-Compton Center, ranked #11 in the State, handed the Citrus College Men's Basketball team, ranked #17 in the State, their first loss of 2017 on Friday evening in the opening round of the 2017 Chaffey Challenge Tournament. The Tartars forced the Owls into 26 total turnovers that turned into 39 points for Compton in a 79-97 Citrus loss. 

 In the first half, the two teams traded the lead back and forth. Compton jumped out to an early 7-2 lead, and led by as much as nine with 14:08 to go. The Owls would keep the game within arms reach over the next seven minutes, taking their first lead of the game with 6:50 to go, off a triple from freshman Khalil Williams that made it 27-26. 

The two schools would trade the lead back and forth four times over the next three minutes, with the Owls taking their last stab at being the front runner with 3:10 to go after freshman Kyle Gray converted on a three point play, drilling a three while being fouled and hitting the ensuing free-throw to make it 37-35. The lead wouldn't last, as the Tartars converted on a three-point play on their next trip down the floor, before eventually pushing their lead to five points 45-40 after a last second three before halftime.

In the second half, Citrus would try to keep the game from getting out of hand and would be successful in doing so until about the midway point. The Owls would trail by just four points after a three off the hands of freshman Jeremy Smith with 12:03 to go, but Compton reeled off a 13-2 run that put the Owls in a 15 point hole with 8:53 on the clock. Citrus would get their deficit back down to single digits on a mini 9-0 run capped by a fast break dunk by sophomore Kenneth Cyprian that made it 71-78. Citrus never got it closer, as Compton closed the game out with big plays down the stretch. 

In the loss, Citrus was led by Cyprian who scored 21 points on 7 of 12 shooting from the floor. Smith added 18, and Williams 13. Sophomore forward Calvin Martin pulled down a team high 10 boards, while sophomore Donn-Christian Corbin came off the bench to hand out a team high five assists. 

With the loss, Citrus drops to 13-4 on the year. The Owls move into the Consolation Bracket of the Chaffey Challenge Tournament and will be back at Chaffey College on Saturday where they will take on Pasadena City College (5-11) at 6:00 PM.