Short-handed Giants roll to fifth straight men's basketball win to remain tied atop CVC
By Nick Giannandrea
COS ATHLETICS
College of the Sequoias men's basketball team didn't allow the loss of another player impede its pursuit of a seventh straight Central Valley Conference title.
Despite suiting up only eight players, the Giants toppled Merced 61-39 on Jan. 21 at Porter Field House to remain tied for first place in the conference standings.
State No. 21-ranked Sequoias (14-5, 5-0) played without sophomore guard Jayden Abuyen (Centennial High-Bakersfield) because of an injury. Coach Dallas Jensen said it hasn't been determined yet if Abuyen -- who averages 9.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game -- will return this season.
The Giants have been without three other members of their 12-man roster -- sophomore center Andre Stinson (Buffalo, N.Y.), freshman wing Rippen Gill (Centennial-Bakersfield) and freshman guard Gabe Gutierrez (Bakersfield Christian) -- since November because of injuries.
With only a three-man bench, Sequoias relied on sophomore guard Mason Dorsey (Los Angeles), sophomore guard Kareem Barnett (Miami), sophomore wing Carmeron Kelly (Atlanta) and sophomore guard Kion Hayes (Savannah, Ga.) to all play at least 34 minutes against the Blue Devils (6-13, 3-2).
"We are not going to back down," said Barnett, who finished with 15 points on 7 of 12 shooting and two rebounds. "We're still going to play hard and try to do whatever we can to get a win. Good teams find a way to win, regardless of how many people we're down or any disadvantages."
The Giants are tied atop the CVC with No. 14 Columbia (15-4, 5-0) following their fifth straight win. The Claim Jumpers beat Porterville 66-59 on Jan. 21 for their sixth straight win.
Sequoias plays at Columbia at 6 p.m. Jan. 28.
"I think we are starting to figure it out," said Kelly, who led the Giants with 17 points on 8 of 15 shooting, along with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. "I think we're hitting our stride. We've just got to keep building."
Sequoias limited Merced to five field goals while taking a 26-14 lead in a first half punctuated by Hayes' 3-pointer off a Kelly assist at the buzzer.
The Giants opened the second half with a 12-2 run -- fueled by six points from Javon Bragg (Corcoran High) -- to push its lead to 22 points (38-16) with 14 minutes and 29 seconds remaining.
Sequoias' lead grew as big as 24 points (59-35) following a Hayes free throw with 1:00 left.
"We were just locked in on the defensive side," Barnett said. "We played really good defense from start to finish."
Dorsey flirted with a triple-double for the Giants, finishing with eight points, nine rebounds, eight assists, a steal and a block.
Bragg delivered 10 points, three rebounds, two steals and an assist.
Sequoias also received six points, three rebounds and two steals from Hayes; three points and three rebounds from Zaquien Whitehead (Columbus, Ga.); two points, two rebounds, a steal and a block from Jamaal Phatty (Frankfurt, Germany); and a rebound and a steal from QShawn On'gele (Portland, Ore.).
Up next for the Giants is a road game at Porterville (5-14, 2-3), scheduled for 3 p.m. Jan. 24.
Sequoias' next home game is set for 5 p.m. Feb. 4 against Reedley (10-9, 1-4).
