Extra time has been winning time for the Pasadena City College men's basketball team. The Lancers opened South Coast Conference North Division play with a 74-73 overtime victory at Rio Hondo College Wednesday night. The Lancers moved to 4-0 in OT games this season.
PCC (13-6 overall) has won five of its last six games and continues to play well in close games. In contests decided by five or fewer points, the Lancers are 7-2.
The Lancers trailed 68-67 when Chris Blount was fouled with only one second remaining. Blount missed the front end attempt, but then hit the game-tying free throw to send the game to the extra 5-minute period. Jordan Simpson hit a layup to start the OT and with 33 seconds left hit the game-winning basket. Simpson was a force througout as he scored 18 points (made 9-for-13 from the field), grabbed 13 rebounds, and blocked six of the team's 14 blocks overall. Seven different Lancers blocked at least one shot.
Chris Odionu added 18 points and 14 boards while Giovonni Jackson was the third player to reach a double-double on 12 points, 10 rebounds to go with six assists and three steals. Blount just missed four players reaching double-doubles as he contributed 13 points and nine boards. Khristion Courseault did a good job of distributing the ball with eight assists and seven points.
Elijah McElroy scored 20 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to lead Rio Hondo (3-16 on the season).
PCC outrebounded the Roadrunners by a large margin, 59-39, including a 20-10 difference on the offensive boards.
The Lancers host state No. 5-ranked East Los Angeles College on Friday, Jan. 25 in a 5 p.m. conference tip-off at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium.