FULLERTON STAYS RED-HOT AFTER GETTING PAST SANTA ANA
The No. 2-ranked Fullerton College Hornets faced a major Orange Empire Conference test Wednesday night at home against No. 11 Santa Ana College and answered the challenge with a gritty 60–57 victory over the Dons.
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
25 | 32 | 57 |
|
|
27 | 33 | 60 |
Team Stats
Santa Ana
| Game Statistics | Santa Ana | FULL |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (19-62) | (20-59) |
| Field Goal % | 30.6% | 33.9% |
| Rebounds | 46 | 44 |
| Assists | 7 | 11 |
| Turnovers | 10 | 10 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 9 | 11 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 24 | 18 |
| Pts in the Paint | 26 | 20 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 3 | 0 |
| Bench Pts | 10 | 7 |
The No. 2-ranked Fullerton College Hornets faced a major Orange Empire Conference test Wednesday night at home against No. 11 Santa Ana College and answered the challenge with a gritty 60–57 victory over the Dons.
Both teams entered the matchup sporting identical 15-1 records, but it was Fullerton that emerged on top improving to 16-1 overall and 3-0 in OEC play. The loss marked Santa Ana's second straight defeat after an undefeated nonconference slate, dropping the Dons to 15-2 overall and 1-2 in conference action.
The opening minutes were scoreless as both teams felt each other out, until Donovan Pitts broke the ice with the game's first basket- a three-pointer from beyond the arc. Santa Ana answered with a pair of buckets of its own setting the tone for a back-and-forth first half that featured four ties. By the break, the Hornets had carved out a slim 27–25 lead.
Yoda Oke opened the second half with a layup and a jump shot to push Fullerton's lead to 31-25. A strong run capped by baskets from Brayden Smith and Bishop Brooks extended the advantage to 35-25. The Hornets later built their largest lead of the night at 12 points, 52–40, following a Brooks three-pointer with 6:53 remaining.
Just when it appeared Fullerton might pull away, Santa Ana surged with a 7–1 run in the final three minutes to make it a one-possession game. Brooks answered once again, drilling a timely three-pointer to halt the momentum and seal the Hornets' 60–55 edge late.
Oke led all scorers with 17 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for a dominant double-double performance. Brooks, Pitts, and Smith each added 12 points, with Smith also pulling down 12 rebounds for a double-double of his own. Trey Thompson chipped in six points, three assists, and a block.
Up Next: The No. 2 Hornets (16-1 overall, 3-0 OEC) head down the street Friday, January 16, for an NOCCCD inter-district and OEC showdown with Cypress College. Tipoff is at 5:00 pm.
