Entertaining first day at Irvine Valley College tourney

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IRVINE, Ca. – The first day of the 18^th annual Irvine Valley Community College Tournament featured four competitive games and a whole lot of very competitive and skilled prospects.

Opening-day winners Thursday were San Diego Cuyamaca (88-76 over Norwalk Cerritos), Ventura (83-76 over Santa Clarita College of the Canyons), Long Beach City College (68-63 over Irvine Valley College) and Imperial Valley College (81-75 over Santa Monica City College).

Friday’s schedule: (consolation bracket) 1 p.m. Cerritos vs. College of the Canyons; 3, Irvine Valley vs. Santa Monica; (championship bracket) 5, Cuyamaca vs. Ventura; 7, Long Beach vs. Imperial Valley.

Each of the eight teams had at least one quality guard on the floor – and most of them had multiple skilled backcourt players.

The guard of sophomore Harry Brazelton (28 points, including five 3s, and five assists) and freshman Garrett Larch-Miller (13 points and six assists) were the difference for Cuyamaca, which built a 20-point advantage in the first half and saw its lead shrink to two in the second half before pulling away down the stretch.

Anthony Holliday – selected the Most Outstanding Player a year ago when his team won this event – scored 19 points for Cerritos but missed 13 of his 19 shots from the floor. Holliday signed a letter of intent with Lamar.

There are those who would suggest that Ventura has as good a starting backcourt as exists on the California Community College level this season and it would be hard to argue after the performances of sophomores Joseph Soto (24 points and seven assists) and Zalmico Harmon (only nine points on one of 10 from the field but 11 assists) during the victory over College of the Canyons.

C of C has its own exceptional sophomore guard in Jaylen Bland (17 points, including five 3s, and four assists) and skilled shooter in freshman forward Temjae Singleton (24 points, including five 3s).

Another freshman dropped in a lot of jump shots for Irvine Valley College as guard Shaquille Hunter hit nine of 14 from the field – including six of nine from behind the arc – en route to a game-high 24 points.

But LBCC hung on for the win behind double-figure scoring by four players, sophomore guard Ashton Edwards leading the way with 23 points.

And, in the finale, freshmen La Salle Wright, Miles Hamilton and Cordaryus Craigen – led by Wright’s 29 – combined for 58 points in Imperial Valley’s victory.

Freshman guard Keilan Horton came off the bench to score 21 points for SMCC.