Unable to maintain their momentum in the second half of the game, the Long Beach City College Vikings lost 78-73 to the visiting Cypress Chargers.
Vikings’ starting guard, Jace Bass was instrumental, playing all 40 minutes and dropping 37 points to go along with 3 steals, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Guard Kester Ofoegbu also played the entire game and dominated the boards, contributing 12 rebounds and 16 points in the Vikings’ loss on their home court.
The Vikings took a 10-5 lead against the Chargers early in the game, and despite the 9 turnovers they had, were able to end the first half with a 7-point lead. A pair of free-throws made by guard Miles Denmion at the end of the half helped solidify the Vikings’ 36-29 lead.
Sophomore guard Aaron Jelks of LBCC was phenomenal defensively, rendering the Chargers’ starting guard, Demetri Mariolis, scoreless. Jelks also forced 3 turnovers by Mariolis who only played 12 minutes.
Strong as they were in the first half, the same Vikings that went into the locker room at the end of the first half were not the same Vikings that came back to start the second half.
“We did not play well,” Head Coach Barry Barnes said. “But Cypress did.”
The Chargers outscored the Vikings 21-15 in the first 8 minutes of the second half, bringing the game within one point.
During a 30-second time-out called by the Vikings, Barnes discussed a trap defense to stop the Chargers, but that strategy would be rendered useless as the teams battled back and forth for the next 7 minutes, the score tied at 65 with less than 6 minutes left in the game.
“We got comfortable with the lead and took it for granted,” Vikings guard, Jelks said. “After that they came and took the game from us.”
The last 5 minutes of the game were crucial for the Vikings as they had a lot of missed opportunities to score. Bass missed 4 free-throws including 2 in the last 24 seconds of the game.
A turnover a piece by Bass and Jelks within the final minutes of the game would result in two made baskets to help boost the Chargers over the Vikings.
“I should have made those [free-throws],” Bass said after the game.“I was mad at myself.”
The Vikings are looking to build trust and solidarity between themselves during the remainder of the preseason and are hoping for a successful conference season.
The Vikings are going against Oxnard College in the Santa Barbara Classic on Dec. 12.