(Walnut) By John M. Sherrard – For the seventh year in a row the Mountie men's basketball team has advanced to at least the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) second round with a 76-70 victory over visiting Grossmont College Wednesday night.

Number 14 seed Mt. SAC (17-10) built up a 12-point lead, 65-53, in the second half, but held on to defeat Grossmont by six points and will advance to meet No. 3 seed Chaffey College (22-6) this Saturday night. Game time is 7:00 pm at Chaffey College.

Mt. SAC, which advanced to the third round last season, led 74-70 with less than 15 seconds remaining in the game, Grossmont sophomore forward Spencer Vering missed a three-pointer. Mt. SAC sophomore guard Lamarquis Thompson (Manor HS, Houston, TX) came down with the rebound and was immediately fouled. Thompson, who named the South Coast Conference North player of the year, was the leading scorer for the Mounties with 15 points.

Thompson, who averaged almost 16 points per game this season, sank both free throws for the six-point lead with only six seconds remaining.
Grossmont wasn't close on a long half-court shot at the buzzer.

Also scoring for the Mounties was freshman guard Ashton McLaurin (Bonita HS) with 14 points, freshman guard Jamaal Logan (Ontario HS) had ten points. Three Mounties also had nine points each; freshman guard Daniel Olivas (Ontario HS), freshman guard Gregory Bennett (MLK H.S., Uptown, PA) and sophomore guard Chuck Evans IV (St. John Bosco).

 "I was really impressed in how our young team was able to keep their composure down the stretch," Mt. SAC head coach Clark Maloney said.

"I thought they (Grossmont) did a masterful job of not letting us pull away.

"He (Thompson) provided us with great defense and helped keep us in the game."

Maloney was named the South Coast Conference North coach of the year.

The Mounties held a slim, 32-30, lead at the half, as Olivas had nine points, all three-pointers. Bennett had seven points, followed by six from Thompson.

Grossmont (14-14) sophomore guard Kaelen Mitchell was the only player in double figures in the half with 13 points.

Mt. SAC, which won a CCCAA title in 2013, would play the winner of the No. 6 Fullerton College (21-7) vs. No. 11 Cuesta College (22-9) game if they defeat Chaffey on Saturday night in the third round.

The CCCAA continues with three more rounds before the state final four, March 12-13 at Las Positas College in Livermore.