For the first 15 minutes, the unranked Pasadena City College men's basketball team gave state #5 Cerritos reason to be concerned. The Lancers grabbed a 23-21 lead by pushing transition play that led to a number of layups. The Falcons stepped up their defense over the last 25 minutes while PCC's halfcourt offense went absent as making baskets became next to impossible. Cerritos pulled away quickly in the second half to hand the Lancers a 71-55 defeat in a South Coast Conference crossover game played Monday at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium.

PCC (4-4) had a 3-game win streak snapped and lost at home for the first time under new head coach Ryan Frazer. Cerritos stayed undefeated at 6-0 as Jonathan Salazar dominated the post and made two of his team's nine 3-pointers to finish with game highs in points (25) and rebounds (13). 

Starting point guard Jayden Winfrey proved to be the Lancers most effective player in scoring 17 points, making 7-for-10 from the floor. The rest of the team struggled mightily from the field, making just 11-for-61, including just 1-for-20 from beyond the 3-point circle. Cerritos hit 47.4 percent from the field and outscored PCC in 3-point shooting, 27-3. 

From the time, PCC took the lead on a steal and basket by Shant Chenorhavorian (eight points, scored the team's lone trey), the Lancers made just 7-for-41 from the field (17 percent) over the final 25 minutes, missing eight in a row from the 15-minute mark of the first half until 2:15 into the second half. The Falcons led 33-27 at halftime and back-to-back baskets by Salazar, a 6-foot-6, 255-pound power forward from Panama, left PCC trailing 49-33 with 12 minutes left. The Lancers inability to hit the net kept them making any run the rest of the way.

Pasadena took advantage of Cerritos fouls to make 18 of 23 from the free throw line (78.3 percent). Jonathan Tchengang was 5-for-6 at the line to score seven points and led PCC in rebounds with nine. Rande Harper was 6-for-6 from the stripe for his six points. Nigel Wilson added six points and six boards. 

For the Falcons, Jalen Shores drained four 3-pointers as part of his 19 points. 

On Friday, Dec. 2, PCC returns to the floor when it faces Glendale in a 1 p.m. game at the Antelope Valley Gregg Anderson Tournament. The bracketed, 8-team tourney continues with the semifinals on Saturday, Dec. 3 and finals on Sunday, Dec. 4.