Eduardo Miranda
The Daily Independent
It was Sophomore Night and the final Inland Empire Athletic Conference home game for the Cerro Coso men's basketball team when it hosted Desert. The Coyotes fan in attendance were able to show their appreciation and love for the five sophomores wearing the Coyotes jersey in a 107-70 win over the Roadrunners. Not only did they get to celebrate the conference win but saw the team tie a school record for most win in a season at 22, with a chance for them to break it with a win over Chaffey on Friday. The win was also Head Coach Chris Dugan's 100th win. He spoke on the win and getting his 100th win with the Coyotes.
"It was good and nice to send the sophomores out with a win," he said. "You know it's tough. It ended up being a pickup game at the end but to send the sophomores off. A win is a win, and we won 22 games which ties a school record that we set a couple of years ago. We have a chance to get to 23.
"It's funny, I'm actually at 102 but what happened is I have some forfeit wins. So technically this is 100. It's nice to get recognition. I don't really do good with recognition; I don't like it. I'm very fortunate to coach a lot of really good players over the course of five and half years. If didn't recruit guys who bought into what I wanted to do, play really hard, and play the right way then I wouldn't win anything. Yes, Coach Dugan gets 100 wins but it's on the players. I have scored 0 points in my career as a coach. John Foster, Rock Hardison, Alex Dieduonne, Jordan Pumphrey, Isiah Thomas, John Foster those are all guys who played for me and believed in what I was telling them. The next group of guys, who I call the core four, those guys built this program when we took it over. They helped me. We won 18 games that second year and that's what got it really going. Players that's the key."
The Coyotes had three starters finish in double digit scoring led by Malachi Greenwich with 24 points, six rebounds, and a steal. Destin Jenkins had 23 points, five rebounds, and two assists. Darnell Turner Jr. had 22 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and a steal. Joshua Escheik had nine points off the bench. The offense shot 56.6 percent from the field, 38.2 percent from three-point line, and 72.7 percent from the charity stripe. Defensively, the Coyotes held the Roadrunners to 22 points in the first half but gave up 48 in the second half.
The Coyotes end the Inland Empire Conference on the road at Chaffey and Dugan spoke on facing the eventual conference champions after defeating the Roadrunners.
"Winning is better than losing, but it doesn't really help us for the next game," the Coyotes coach said. "Chaffey is good and they are going to be fired up for us. But a win is a win and it's nice to send the sophomores off on the right way."
After ending the season at Chaffey, Dugan and his players will wait until Sunday to learn where and who they will face in the opening round of playoff. Dugan spoke on where he sees his team being placed and earning a first round home playoff game and his team's chance in the playoff.
"We are pretty much a lock to get a home playoff game. We are probably in that 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th range but I want to get a home playoff game and I want this place packed," he said. "And I want the crowd to be loud and I want them to be rowdy. I want them to cheer and that's what I think those guys deserve. Last time, I have a bad taste in my mouth because we lost that game. I want to do it again.
"We can beat anyone in the state of California. We have beaten a lot of great teams. We need to defend, we need to play together, we need to make shots. There is a lot of things we need to do but if we come in with the right mindset and we are just whoever is in front of us lets go. I have no problem playing anyone. I'm just excited for the opportunity to play the best and I think it's open in the South."