Eduardo Miranda
The Daily Independent
The Cerro Coso Men's basketball team hosted Palo Verde in Inland Empire Athletic Conference game and defeated the Pirates 88-66. The Coyotes (15-9, 9-3) won their third straight game to continue in third place in conference and in the playoff hunt. Cerro Coso is on the road Saturday visiting the top seed in the conference and No. 4 ranked team in the state San Bernardino Valley with tip off at 3 p.m. Head Coach Chris Dugan spoke on his team's win over Palo Verde and what needs to happen for his team to make the postseason.
"The focus wasn't there the whole game. We talked about playing up to your opponent and down to your opponent," he said. "It's sloppy. Its hard with those teams because they don't run much, they are just Helter-Skelter. They are not doing anything with a purpose so we just have to be better. We have to stay crisp and for some guys they get an opportunity, they have to do more with their opportunity. We are going to play six on Saturday. We talk about it like it's a bank you are either depositing or taking away. So every time you get in what are you doing? Some guys they have debt.
"We have to finish in third. It's one game at a time approach. To beat San Bern, we need guys to play at a high level. We have to defend, make shots, just have to get after it. To make playoffs, I think if we go 3-2 in the last five games we are in a good spot."
The Coyotes shot the ball at 44.6 percent from the field, 21.4 percent from the three-point line, and 64 percent from the free throw line. The home scored 40 points in the first and 48 in the second half. Cerro Coso had four players, two starters and two off the bench, score in double figures with Sincere Edwards finishing with a double double of 18 points and 15 rebounds. Adam Claybourne Jr. had 17 points and nine rebounds. Darnell Turner Jr. added 11 points and Destin Jenkins had 18 points with both coming off the bench.
The Coyotes led by five at halftime, 40-35, but didn't build a definitive lead until making three runs at the beginning of the half, the 15th minute mark, and a final push with eight minutes left. The first was a 9-0 run that began with a hook shot from Jalen Williams. After a defensive stop, Claybourne scored on a layup from an offensive rebound and on the ensuing Coyote possession he was fouled and hit both his free throws. Claybourne finished the run when he was fouled after making a layup and hitting the free throw for a 49-35 lead.
After Palo Verde scored to cut the Coyotes lead to 53-40, the home team goes on 16-0 run over the next four minutes of game time. The run began with Williams scoring on a layup and then Williams finding Jenkins for an alley-oop layup. Will Hinton hit a corner three in front of the Cerro Coso bench and after a technical call against Palo Verde, he hit two free throws for a 62-40 lead. Jenkins scored the final seven points with two from the free throw line, a three from the top of the key, and finishing the run with a dunk.
The final run came after Palo Verde scored nine points cutting the Coyotes lead to 71-51. Turner ended the Pirates run with a jump shot and followed it with a layup and a foul where he hit his and-one free throw. The Coyote continued his scoring run getting open on the run and hitting another jump shot. Edwards capped the run with a three pointer to secure the Coyotes lead at 81-51 and secure a home win with 6:10 left in the game.
"We gave them 11 points in 11 minutes so we started defending," the Coyotes coach said about the runs in the second half. "It's an easy formula. You play harder, you defend, get it off the glass, you run, and you make a shot. Funny thing I always tell the guys I'm not that smart and if I was smart, I wouldn't be coaching basketball, I'd be an engineer or something."
The win places the Coyotes in third place in the Inland Empire Athletic Conference with four games remaining to qualify for the postseason. Cerro Coso has two road games remaining with a trip to San Bernardino Valley and two home games against Copper Mountain and Chaffey. The Coyotes host Copper Mountain on Saturday, February 11th, and end conference play hosting Chaffey on Saturday, February 18th. Both games tip off at 3 p.m.