CLICKING ON ALL CYLINDERS VS. CYPRESS CHARGERS
The No. 1 in state Hornets welcomed crosstown rival Cypress College to the Nest on Tuesday night for an OEC matchup and delivered an 83-63 victory over the Chargers.
The No. 1 in state Hornets welcomed crosstown rival Cypress College to the Nest on Tuesday night for an OEC matchup and delivered an 83-63 victory over the Chargers.
The win marked Fullerton's 20th straight and improved the Hornets to 24-1 overall with an unblemished 11-0 record in conference play. Cypress dropped to 14-11 on the season and 5-6 in the OEC. Fullerton also snapped the Charger's four-game winning streak, which included an 84-64 win over No. 16 Santiago Canyon College last week.
The Hornets found themselves in an early 11-5 hole in the first five minutes but slowly clawed back. At the eight-minute mark, Brayden Smith knocked down a jumper to give Fullerton its first lead at 20-19. From there, the Hornets went on a huge 21-6 run to take a commanding 41-25 advantage into halftime. Kairi Shepherd punctuated the half with a windmill layup that brought the crowd to its feet.
Fullerton wasted little time pulling away in the second half opening with a surge to build a 22-point lead at 55-33 capped by a strong drive to the rim by MJ Smith. The Hornet defense remained relentless forcing unbalanced shots and holding Cypress to 40% shooting from the floor, while Fullerton shot an efficient 53.8%. With the outcome well in hand, the Hornets ran out the clock to preserve the OEC win.
Four Fullerton players scored in double figures, led by Yoda Oke with 16 points. Brayden Smith added 15, MJ Smith chipped in 13, and Jaqari Miles finished with 10. Oke also pulled down 7 rebounds, while Smith grabbed 9 of his own.
Up Next: The No. 1 Hornets (24-1, 11-0) face another big OEC test on Thursday, February 12th, when No. 16 Santiago Canyon College comes to the Nest for a 5:00 pm. tipoff. FC fans are encouraged to come out and support the Hornets.
