Griffins enjoy championship stay
- Updated: December 11, 2016
The Grossmont College men's basketball team celebrates its tournament title on Saturday in Santa Barbara.
2016-17 GROSSMONT COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL
By Bill Dickens
© EastCountySports.com
SANTA BARBARA (12-11-16) — RONALD BLAIN, who scored 20 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, blocked 2 shots and earned Most Valuable Player of the Santa Barbara Tournament, helped direct the Griffins to the tournament title Saturday night (Dec. 10) in Santa Barbara, defeating Bakersfield 67-65.
It was the first time the Griffins (8-5) captured a tournament title in their last four tries as they finished in the runner-up position last week in their own Grossmont College Invitational and falling in the semifinals in their previous two tourney efforts this season.
DANIEL McCOWN punched in 12 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, notched 1 assist and logged 3 three-pointers to earn a berth on the All-Tournament Team.
OSCAR LIMON added 12 points to the Griffins total while snaring 3 rebounds and dishing 4 assists.
BRYCE PARSONS was bogged down by foul trouble yet managed to score 6 points, grab 6 rebounds and deal 4 assists.
Not to be overlooked was JOSH MORAN, who nailed 8 points including 2 threes, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
Grossmont buzzed the nets with a 48 percent shooting percentage. That included 43 percent from the 3-point line. They also nailed 75 percent of their free throw tries.
Bakersfield trailed by as many as 11, but rallied to tie the game at 36 with 15:45 to go in the second half. Bakersfield would eventually take a 43-40 lead with 12:50 to go.
However, Grossmont would go on a 10-2 spurt over the next three minutes.
The Renegades had the ball down a bucket with :19.5 left, but missed a three-point try as time expired.
“The guys wanted to leave Santa Barbara with some hardware,” said assistant coach JOHN CLARK.
And so they did.
Next up on the Griffins’ schedule is a post-Christmas tournament where Grossmont will face East Los Angeles in the first round of the Mesa College Invitational at 6 p.m.
A little time at the beach after our shoot around. We play Bakersfield tonight in the final gane of the Santa Barbara College tourney pic.twitter.com/GnrmzMz8on
— Grossmont College MB (@GCGriffinsMBB) December 10, 2016
