The Pasadena City College men's basketball team recovered from a 1-4 start to the '23-24 season by winning three straight games to capture the Antelope Valley Gregg Anderson Memorial Tournament title Dec. 1-3.
The Lancers (4-4) defeated Imperial Valley, 73-62, downed Ventura, 73-63, and routed Palo Verde, 72-51, in the tourney finals.
Freshman point guard Jalen Vazquez earned tourney MVP honors after totaling 35 points, 15 assists, 14 rebounds and eight steals. He made an impressive 13 of 17 from the field for a 76.5 percent efficiency.
Also making All-AVC Tournament were sophomores Myles Watkins (50 points, 10 steals and eight assists), Shant Chenorhavorian (37 points, including 10 treys, and eight assists), and Dean Abdur-Rahmann (23 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists).
In the opener v. IVC, PCC jumped out to a 40-21 halftime lead and the Desert Warriors were able to cut it to seven before the Lancers pulled away on a 17-7 run, highlighted by two dunks from Vazquez and capped on a 3-pointer by Chenorhavorian.
Watkins scored a game-high 17 points, followed by Chenorhavorian bombing five 3s for 15 points, Vazquez with 14 points, six assists and four steals, and Dylan Swillis 13 points and eight rebounds. Abdur-Rahmann just missed the entire starting lineup in double digit scoring as he contributed nine points, eight boards, and four assists.
Against Ventura, again Pasadena relied on a giant first half in taking a commanding 44-25 halftime lead. PCC led by as much as 27 points, 56-29, on a Chenorhavorian jumper. The Lancers used their reserves later in the game as the Pirates made the score respectable by game's end.
Vazquez was 6-for-6 from the floor for 15 points, and Kaiden Fine did the same, making all six of his field goals, three from 3-point range for 15 points off the bench. Watkins added 14 points and six steals, Swillis had a double-double on 11 points and 11 rebounds plus four assists, Abdur-Rahmann added 10 points, and Chenorhavorian tallied nine points and six assists.
The Lancers, who trailed briefly at 16-13 and then 21-20, went on a 12-3 spurt capped by a Watkins layup and led 33-26 by halftime. PCC would keep a 10-point or more distance on Palo Verde for nearly the entire second half and coasted in capturing the team first-place trophy.
Watkins scored a game-high 19 points, Chenorhavorian added 13 points, Swillis 12 points, six boards and three steals, and Barry Knight came off the bench for 10 points. Fine added eight points while Vazquez collected six points, seven rebound and six assists.
PCC next plays at the Santa Rosa Junior College Kris Kringle Tournament, starting with a first round game v. Mendocino on Thursday, Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. The Lancers face the winner or loser of the Feather River v. SRJC game on Friday, Dec. 15 and then play in the tourney final round on Saturday, Dec. 16.
SRJC Kris Kringle Tournament Bracket
PCC SKIP ROBINSON CLASSIC RECAP
The Lancers 2-day, 6th Skip Robinson Classic, named after the former PCC athletic director and Hall of Fame coach/student-athlete, was a forgettable one Nov. 16-17. PCC dropped a 92-69 decision v. Chabot, then fell v. Cypress, 67-58.
In the home opener at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium, the Gladiators ran a fast-break offense that was too much for the Lancers. PCC got to as close as three, 58-55, in the second half on a Jalyn White 3-pointer but Chabot would pull away over the final 10 minutes.
Abdur-Rahmann made 20 points (9-for-13 from the floor) while Watkins pumped in 19 points. Swillis added eight points and five rebounds.
Against Cypress, PCC took a 29-24 halftime advantage and led 48-47 on two Vazquez free throw with 6:05 left. The Chargers chipped away and a 3-point basket by Christian James III was the dagger at 59-53 with two minutes remaining.
Watkins finished with 20 points and nine boards while Abdur-Rahmann drained 14 points, and Vazquez had eight points.