CAGING THE CATS

The No. 2 Hornets were pushed to the limit Friday night on the road, however the team grinded out a hard-fought 72-66 win over Saddleback College in Orange Empire Conference play.

FC was bumped to No. 2 in the latest CCCMBCA State Poll. Even though the team is on a 17-game win streak, the coaches decided that San Francisco's win over No. 7 Las Positas should put them back in the No. 1 spot.

The come-back win hands the Hornets a 21-1 overall record as the team has taken control of the Orange Empire Conference standings with an 8-0 record. Meanwhile, Saddleback stands at 11-11 overall and 2-6 in conference.

The Bobcats came into this one with their claws out taking a 35-32 lead into halftime forcing the Hornets to battle for every possession. Saddleback controlled the tempo early in the second half as both teams traded buckets in a back-and-forth stretch.

Momentum finally swung in FC's favor when Jaqari Miles turned in a three-point-play after getting fouled on a drive to the basket that gave the Hornets a 47-44 edge with just over 13 minutes remaining. From there, Fullerton began to assert itself defensively and on the glass.

After a blocked shot by MJ Smith, Yoda Oke knocked down a clutch three-pointer to stretch the lead to 57-46 with just under ten minutes, marking Fullerton's largest advantage of the night. Saddleback refused to go away, answering with timely shots and defensive pressure, but the Hornets stayed composed down the stretch.

Brayden Smith was a force inside leading FC with a game-high 20 points with 13 rebounds for another double-double night. He also added 4 blocks. Yoda Oke added 15 points, had 4 rebounds, and 3 steals. Donovan Pitts scored 8 points and brought down 3 rebounds.

Up Next: The No. 2 Hornets (21-1, overall, 8-0 OEC) will host No. 25 Riverside City College (14-8, 6-2) in the Nest for another OEC showdown. Tipoff is at 5:00 pm.

*Photo by Jayden Babineau