Chargers Down Dons in OT to Win First OEC Game

Cypress outscored Santa Ana College 21-11 in overtime to pick up its first conference victory.

Box Score

Jacob Nungaray

Santa Ana, Calif. - Down by four with less than a minute left in regulation, Cypress sophomore Andre Winn brought the Chargers (8-11, 1-3) back to tie the game and send it to overtime. That was all Cypress needed to pick up its first Orange Empire Conference victory of the season with a 82-72 win over the Dons (8-10, 2-3). In overtime, Cypress shot a blistering 75 percent to outscore SAC 21-11 on the road.

Four Chargers hit double digits in points scored, led by Andre Winn's game-high 22 points, including a 15 for 16 effort from the free throw line. Montel Taylor posted another 20-point game on 8 of 15 shooting from the floor. Chris Maheras and Jacob Nungaray each added 10 points apiece in the victory over SAC. Nungaray also showed up big time on the other end of the court as well after finishing with a game-high six steals.

The Chargers took a 10-5 lead with 13:52 to go in the first half when Kourtney Maxim connected on a jumper. After a layup by SAC's Kacy Barlow tied the game at 14-14 a few minutes later, Cypress went on a 9-1 run to open up a nine-point edge when Montel Taylor hit a layup to make it a 23-15 ballgame.

A 9-7 run by the Dons near the end of the first half made it 30-24 with six seconds on the clock, but a buzzer-beating three pointer by Julius Von Hanzlik stretched Cypress' lead back to nine points heading into the locker room.

The Chargers came out of the break determined to win their first OEC game of the year, and knocked down their first two shots to open up a 13-point margin over Santa Ana on the road.

Cypress had its largest lead of the night get to 48-34 with 11:32 left to play in regulation, but a huge 21-7 run by the Dons made it a tie game at 55-55 with three minutes to play after Chad Young buried a three from deep.

With 1:09 on the clock, SAC popped another trey to put the Chargers in a four-point hole that only Winn could them out of.

In the OT, Cypress won it at the line. The Chargers knocked down 3 of 4 from the floor in the extra frame, but it was their 15 of 19 shooting from the free throw line that did the Dons in. SAC matched Cypress with three field goals in overtime, but only made 5 of 7 from the charity stripe when it counted most.

The Chargers will host Irvine Valley College at home on Friday, January 20 at 5:30 p.m. as they go for their second OEC win of the year.

Following the game, legendary Cypress men's basketball head coach Don Johnson will be honored for his extremely successful career leading the Charger program with a short dedication ceremony to commemorate the newly mounted Don Johnson bronze-plaque outside of the doors leading to the basketball floor that bears his name - Don Johnson Court.