(Los Angeles, CA) Six players in double figures led the Mt. SAC Men's Basketball team to its fifth consecutive South Coast Conference North Division win over L.A. Trade Tech, 98-87, on Wednesday February 7. With the win, the Mounties improved to 21-2 overall and 5-0 in the SCC North. The Mounties continue to hold a one-game lead over PCC (4-1) in the SCC North standings.
Leading the way for the state 3C2A 10th-ranked Mounties was sophomore guard CJ Fisher (6-12 FGM-A, 3-4 3 PM-A, 6-6 FTM-A) with a season-high 21 points. Fisher also had a season-high 15 rebounds (3 O, 12 D).
Sophomore guard Nick Hopkins (5-11 FGM-A, 9-12 FTM-A, 7 RB) added 19 points, while four other Mounties – Michael Ejumeta (13), Mikah Gardner (11), Jerimiyah Smith (11) and Elijah Cirilo (10) were also in double figures.
As a team, the Mounties shot 75% (24-32) from the free throw line, 52.4% (33-63) from the field and were 50% (8-16) from long range.
Nine players scored in the big first half for the Mounties as they built up a 45-29, lead at the break. Gardner (3-4 FGM-A, 2-2 3 PM-A) led the way with nine points in the half.
Hopkins and Fisher led Mt. SAC with 13 second-half points each, as the Mounties built up a game-high 24-point lead, 63-39, with 14:06 left in the game.
Trade Tech outscored the Mounties, 49-35, the rest of the way but never threatened, only getting within eight points 90-82 with 1:26 remaining in the game.
Mt. SAC, with only five games remaining in the regular season, will host L.A. City College (4-19, 0-5) on Friday (Feb. 9).