Giants tune up for CVC men's basketball opener with rout of Hartnell

By Nick Giannandrea

COS ATHLETICS

After playing short-handed for most of December, College of the Sequoias men's basketball showed what it's capable of with a full complement of players.

Getting points from all 11 players who entered the game, the state No. 8-ranked Giants raced past Hartnell for a 97-40 victory Jan. 4 at Porter Field House in their nonconference finale.

"I thought we played really well," Sequoias coach Dallas Jensen said. "We were efficient on the offensive end. We were pretty discipled on the defensive end. Good energy. Good effort. And it was fun to see everyone contribute tonight."

Reigning Central Valley Conference champion Sequoias (12-2) begins its chase of a potential third straight title when it travels to No. 15 Columbia (12-2) at 6 p.m. Jan. 10.

The Giants enter that game winners of eight straight games, the third longest streak in the state behind No. 1-ranked West Valley (15 straight) and No. 4 West Los Angeles (nine).

Sequoias opened a 19-4 lead through the game's first 5 minutes and 30 seconds behind six points from Jaylon Lee (Las Vegas), who missed four games with concussion symptoms and illness before returning with two rebounds, an assist and a block in a 75-70 win at Diablo Valley on Dec. 30, and five points from Jose Cuello (Harlem, N.Y.), who missed a 75-61 defeat of Gavilan on Dec. 20 with illness.

Omari Nesbit (Sacramento) spurred a 16-2 run that boosted Sequoias' lead to 34 points (52-17) at halftime as he closed the first half with an assist on a Samuel Bazunga (Paris, France) basket, scored a layup after a Bazunga defensive rebound, sank a 3-pointer off a Mikey Ficher (Tulare Western) assist, and made a steal and dunk with 22 seconds left.

The Giants pushed their lead to a game-best 57 points when Bazunga completed a three-point play with 12 seconds left in the game.

Six Sequoias players finished with double-digit scoring, led by Nesbit with 14 points, along with four assists, three rebounds and a steal.

Lee delivered 12 points, 14 rebounds and three assists.

The Giants' starting lineup also featured 10 points apiece from Alex Argandar (Modesto), Davis White (Santa Clarita) and Cuello, and nine points from Jaden Haire (Hanford West). Argandar added two assists and a rebound; White had three rebounds, two assists and two steals; Cuello had four rebounds and an assist; while Haire contributed four rebounds, two steals and an assist.

Sequoias' bench, which produced 46 points overall, also received 10 points, two rebounds and an assist from Cameron Clark (Gwinnett, Ga.); nine points, two rebounds, an assist and a block from Bazunga; eight points, seven rebounds and two assists from James Freeman (Sacramento); three points, three rebounds, three assists and a block from Ficher; and two points, five rebounds and two assists from Kion Hayes (Savannah, Ga.).

"We're finally getting healthy again, whether it was injuries or sicknesses," Jensen said. "The team is really well connected. They had a great week of practice. I think we still have our best basketball in front of us, but this was a good way to build some momentum going into conference play next week."

In addition to Sequoias and Columbia, the Central Valley Conference features teams ranked among the Top 25 in the California Community College Men's Basketball Coaches Association poll in No. 12 Merced (12-2) and No. 22 West Hills-Lemoore (10-3). The CVC also includes Fresno City (7-7), West Hills-Coalinga (6-7), Porterville (6-8) and Reedley (4-8).

The Giants travel to Merced at 3 p.m. Jan. 13 before returning to Porter Field House for its first CVC home game at 5 p.m. Jan. 17 against West Hills-Lemoore in the first game of a doubleheader with the women's team, which faces the Golden Eagles at 7 p.m. General admission is $8, with seniors and students $5.

"Our conference is loaded this year. It is unbelievably tough," Jensen said. "Someone asked me the other day how many wins -- when we play 14 (games) -- will it take to win it and I think 11 probably gets you a conference title. Ten puts you in the mix. I think there are too many good teams this year. We open with Columbia and Merced on the road next week. They are both 12-2. It's just one game at a time, and try and put ourselves in position to hopefully bring another conference title home."