Raining 3s At HP Gym As Men's Basketball Posts Season High In Points

Micah Jernigan launches a 3-pointer during PCC's win on Wednesday (photo by Richard Quinton).
Micah Jernigan launches a 3-pointer during PCC's win on Wednesday (photo by Richard Quinton).

While there was pouring rain outside Wednesday night, it was raining as well inside Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium. Raining 3-pointers that is. The state #25-ranked Pasadena City College men's basketball team registered a season-high 18 baskets from 3-point range and also reached a season high in points to knock off Rio Hondo by a 97-86 count,

PCC (15-9) finished the halfway point of South Coast Conference North Division play at 4-1, one game back in the standings behind state #10 Mt. San Antonio (5-0). 

The game was originally scheduled at Rio Hondo (4-19, 1-4), but was moved to PCC due to facility problems at the Whittier campus. The referees whistled 43 fouls against the two teams, 24 v. PCC which helped allow the Roadrunners to turn a 27-point Lancers lead to a modest eight late in the game.

Despite the final 11-point winning margin, the Lancers completely controlled the outcome, taking a 22-7 thanks to five treys, two each by sophomore shooting guards Shant Chenorhavorian and Deen Abdur-Rahmann. PCC took a 48-30 halftime advantage, then built it to 60-33 on another three by Chenorhavorian, who was 9-for-13 from the field, including six 3-pointers as part of his game-high 24 points. 

Frosh wing Dylan Swillis added 14 points and 11 of another season best in team rebounds (49). Swillis was one of an amazing eight different Lancers who made at least one triple.

Sophomore wing Myles Watkins contributed 14 points (two 3s) and five assists, Barry Knight drained three bombs as part of his 11 points off the bench, and Abdur-Rahmann, who was limited to a season-low 16 playing minutes due to early foul trouble, tallied three treys in his 10 points.

Reserve guard Jalyn White picked up seven points and eight rebounds while backup guard Kaiden Fine had six points also off the bench. And they were two of the few that didn't score a 3-pointer. 

Making treys were lettermen backup guards Micah Jernigan and Brad'n Archer with one each. Freshman point guard Jalen Vazquez, who sank one triple in his five points, dished out double digits in assists for the first time this season with 12 to go with nine rebounds and three steals. 

PCC head coach Ryan Frazer was able to play his entire roster as second-year center John Parmeter-Zapata (four rebounds) and frosh center Elijah Wade (two rebounds) saw time in the second half.

Pasadena made 40 percent from past the arc and put up more season highs on 76 overall field goal attempts and 45 long-range shots. In a glance of the PCC HP Gym records, the 18 bombs is the most by a Lancers team since it opened in 1999.

Rio Hondo made just one 3-pointer (14 attempts) but were led by James Barker with 23 points (8-for-9 from the free throw line) and Pierre Daire who was nearly perfect on shooting, making all seven FGs and 5-for-6 at the line for 19 points. 

PCC will be tested this Friday, Feb. 9 when it travels to face third-place East Los Angeles College in a 5 p.m. conference tip-off. The Lancers had ended the Huskies' 28-game conference win streak, 86-74, on Jan. 24.