Walnut, Calif. – The Mt. SAC Men's Basketball Team closed out an outstanding regular season by claiming a share of the South Coast Conference North Division title. The Mounties finished 9-1 in conference play, sharing the crown with East Los Angeles College, with each team's only conference loss coming against the other. Mt. SAC boasts a stronger overall record at 24-4, while the Huskies ended the season 18-9.
The Mounties' success was recognized with six All-South Coast Conference awards. Point guard Dayvon Gates earned Co-Player of the Year honors after leading the entire 12-team SCC in scoring, averaging 19.9 points per game. Gates also contributed 5.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game, anchoring a dominant Mountie lineup throughout the season.
Head coach Michael Fenison was named SCC North Coach of the Year after guiding the Mounties to a 9-1 conference mark. Fenison also celebrated a personal milestone this season, recording his 100th career win earlier in the year.
Mt. SAC placed two players on the SCC North First Team: sophomore forward Ryan Wheeler, who averaged 7.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and led the conference with 44 blocks, and freshman guard Omari Abdallah, who averaged 9.6 points per game. Honorable mention honors went to sophomore guard Jeremy Williams and freshman forward Zion Booker for their contributions on both ends of the court.
The Mounties earned a No. 7 seed in the Southern California Regionals, which begin Wednesday, February 25. They will host the winner of the first-round matchup between San Bernardino Valley (No. 10) and College of the Canyons (No. 23) on Saturday, February 28, at Mt. San Antonio College.
Mt. SAC is familiar with College of the Canyons, having defeated them 92-79 in December. The matchup with San Bernardino Valley promises added intensity, as the teams have developed a budding rivalry. For the past two seasons, SBV eliminated the Mounties from the playoffs, setting the stage for another heated postseason showdown.
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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.