M. Basketball; Season Comes to an End at West LA in Play-offs

The MSJC men's basketball team saw their season come to an end on Wednesday night as they finished the campaign the same way they started it with a loss to West Los Angeles.

Wednesday night the Eagles traveled to Torrance to take on West LA in a rematch of both team's season openers from way back on Novmeber 1st.  This time around MSJC got off to a fast start as they jumped out to a 6-0 lead capped by a Jamaal Barnes lay-up, before the Wildcats scored their first points three minutes into the game.  MSJC held onto the lead until the 10:51 mark of the first half when West LA pushed ahead for the first time at 17-16 and did not relinquish the advantage the rest of the contest.  A buzzer beating three pointer by the Wildcats just before halftime ballooned their lead to 49-34 at the break.

The Eagles continued to battle the rest of the way, but could not close the gap to less than 11 in the second half and the Wildcats came away with the 93-77 victory.

Barnes, who earlier in the week was named First Team All Inland Empire Athletic Conference, led the Eagles in scoring with 26 points.  Isaiah Williams came off the bench to have his best game of the season as he recorded a double double.  Williams set season highs in both points with 13 and rebounds with 12.  Mekhi Hill finished his strong freshman season with 8 points and 7 rebounds in the loss, while Lenzell Simmons Eagle career came to an end with him scoring 9 points in the game.

The Eagles finish the season with an overall record of 15-14, they finished in second place in the inaugural season of the Inland Empire Athletic Conference.  MSJC was making their 12th straight play-off appearance and 15th in the past 16 seasons.