City College guard Maddison Coleman (32) prepares to shoot the ball during practice in the North Gym. Photo by Dianne Rose

Panthers hoops off to solid start

Men’s Basketball

The City College men’s basketball team has gotten off to a 3-3 start to begin the season and have yet to win back-to-back games so far.

City College won its latest game against Modesto College in the Mendocino Tournament, defeating the Pirates 93-74. Freshman guard Greg Milton III led the team with 16 points and was just three rebounds and three assists shy of a triple double. Milton was perfect from the field, making all six of his shot attempts–including two 3-pointers. He also went 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.

Modesto outscored City College 49-45 in the second half with Isaiah Harris scoring a game-high 30 points–but the damage was done by the Panthers as they led by 23 at halftime.

After the first three games of the season, head coach Andrew Jones talked about the team not shooting well and and playing spotty defense.

“At times it was good–at times it wasn’t–particularly the first game, it wasn’t very good at all.”

In the first game of the season, the Panthers were blown out 102-74 by Contra Costa College in first round of the Tony Costello Memorial. In the game, the Panthers turned the ball over 28 times compared to 18 turnovers per game throughout the first six games.

“It was just us making bad decisions,” said Jones. “We need to learn how to make better decisions.”

In terms of winning basketball games while committing multiple turnovers, Jones said he doesn’t believe his team will get away with turning the ball over against good teams. So far, the Panthers have had double-digit turnovers in every game with a minimum of 13 and resulting in a loss. However, In two games the team committed 18 turnovers each and another 16 in a third game but won all three games.

“There’s not enough talking on the court,” Jones said. He said he wants the team to communicate more because some of the turnovers happen when the team rotates the ball and the pass gets to a player too late.

Though redshirt freshman Ephram Conor is only averaging 3.7 points per game, Jones credited Conor for having one of the highest IQs on the team. “He’s not really known as a shooter. He keeps us in games, and I’m actually very pleased with his progress.”

Conor had a season-high 12 points in the loss to Lassen College and made three 3-pointers in the game.

“My coach wants me to be leader. He wants me to lead the team in a direction towards positivity and keep the team together and be sure we’re all on the same page and not being selfish.”

Tonight the Panthers will play the Solano College Falcons in a non-conference game at 6 p.m. in the North Gym.

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Women’s Basketball

The City College women’s basketball team has won four of its last five games since dropping the season opener 87-84 against Feather River College.

“We do a lot of good things,” said Head Coach Julia Allender. “But there’s still a lot we have to work at to be where we want to be.”

One of the things Allender was disappointed in was her team allowing 87 points at the Jocelyn Mancebo Tournament.

“I don’t (give up that many points) very often in my coaching career. I thought we lacked a lot of discipline and toughness, and we failed to play team basketball.”

In the game the Panthers turned the ball over 31 times and were outscored 47-30 in the second half after leading 54-40 in the first half.

Allender was pleased with the way the team played following the loss and giving up 87 points. “We defended better,” Allender said. “There was definitely an answer to the challenge.”

Since the loss, the team is 4-1 with Brandy Huffhines leading the team in scoring. She is averaging 16.5 points with 4.7 assists while also shooting 45 percent from the field and 36 percent from the 3-point line.

“She leads by example,” said Allender. “She’s tough to guard and she is fully invested–and she has bought in.”

Returning sophomore Madison Coleman is looking to build off last season’s success in which she averaged 11 points and 7.6 assists. “Last year it took until towards the end of the season to give it 100 percent, so I just want to start off giving it my all and getting better from there,” Coleman said.

The team will not play its first home game until Dec. 28, when it takes on Santa Rosa College. Up next, the Panthers will take on L.A. Valley at the College of the Sequoias Tournament Nov. 29.

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