A season after the Pasadena City College men's basketball team was a walkover for opponents at 1-26, it's the Lancers not just walking, but trampling over the opposition. The red-hot state #23-ranked Lancers rolled through South Coast Conference crossover play like a team ready for its all-important, 8-game, SCC North Division schedule.
PCC's 78-67 win at #30-ranked Long Beach City College on Friday night stretched the team's win streak to eight in a row, including five victories over SCC South teams. The streak is now the longest officially by a Lancers team going back at least 40 years (further research in progress) and possibly longer.
The 1999-2000 team had won 12 in a row, but a conference ineligible player ruling forced the school to forfeit the first five wins of that streak. Under the direction of then head coach Rocky Moore, PCC ended up sharing the program's only SCC North Division title (joined the South Coast in 1987) with Los Angeles City at 7-1.
Pasadena is 14-6 overall under wizard head coach Ryan Frazer, in his first season at the college after directing a Cinderella MiraCosta College #21 SoCal seed to last year's CCCAA State Championship final eight tourney. The Lancers are looking for its first postseason berth since 2018-19.
Against LBCC, transfer wing Jonathan Tchengang scored his season-high of 25 points and matched his '22-23 best mark of 13 rebounds. Tchengang made 10 of 14 from the field, including draining four 3s in just five attempts.
Myles Watkins added 14 points, Nurridin Abdur-Rahmann 13 points in starting for an injured Rande Harper, and point guard Jayden Winfrey collected 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals. Center Nigel Wilson had eight points and five boards while Jordan Flowers was the most effective bench player, scoring four points.
The Lancers led by as much as 10 points in the first half, but the Vikings cut it to 38-34 by halftime. In the second half, Winfrey and Abdur-Rahmann hit 3-point bombs in the opening minute. By the time "Deen" Abdur-Rahmann made a layup with 12:39 left, PCC's lead grew to 18 at 62-44.
Pasadena's recent habit of shutting opponents down defensively continued here. In the second halves of the last five wins, PCC has outscored opponents, 207-160, and held the other squads to an average of 32 points over the final 20 minutes.
PCC shot better than 50 percent from the field for the second straight game, making 31 of 61 shots for 50.8 percent. Pasadena is #12 in SoCal non-conference RPI and 19th in the state.
The Lancers open SCC North play on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at LA Trade-Tech (3-17). Tip-off is 7 p.m. following the women's game.