SBCC hopes to do something it’s never done before — reach the championship game of its own men’s basketball tournament for the third straight year — in the 36th annual SBCC Classic. The eight-team event begins with four games on Thursday at the Sports Pavilion.
Santa Barbara (4-9) takes on Cañada (2-7) at 7 p.m. Cypress (5-5) and Grossmont (1-7) will meet in Thursday’s opener at 3 p.m., followed by Oxnard (2-6) and Victor Valley (6-3) at 5 p.m. Hancock (3-8) takes on L.A. Valley (6-3) at 9 p.m.
Ticket prices are $5 per game or $12 for a three-day pass.
The Vaqueros fell in the 2006 title game to Mt. San Antonio and L.A. Valley won last year by a 100-84 score. SBCC was awarded the 2006 title when Mt. SAC forfeited. Santa Barbara has won eight Classic titles with seven runner-up finishes.
“That’s our goal again this year, to get to the finals and win it,” said 19th-year SBCC head coach Morris Hodges. “Hopefully, we can put three good days together.”
SBCC has fallen into big first-half holes in several games recently before erasing most or all of the deficit.
“We need to take care of the ball better in the first half, limit our turnovers, and we need to defend better,” said Hodges. “A lot of the turnovers have led to easy baskets.”
David Lane has been hot since returning from a fractured wrist six games ago. The 6-1 freshman point guard from Akron, Ohio is averaging 20.8 points, including a season-high 30 last Saturday in a loss to Hartnell. One day earlier, he had 18 points, 14 assists and three steals in an 84-75 win over Monterey Peninsula.
“I like to attack the basket more than shoot but I can do both,” said Lane. “We need to come out strong and get some wins.”
The Vaqueros haven’t won two straight all season.
Sophomore guard Mark Keeten, who’s averaging 17 points, scored a career-high 41 points in last year’s title game, missing the Classic record by a point.
“The crowd was into it last year and having our home crowd makes things way easier,” said Keeten. “We’ve been fouling way too much and giving up too many points. It seems like every game we did a big hole in the first half and end up having to come back. A lot of times, we’re too tired. We were down by 20 last game and got within one.”
Hodges doesn’t know much about Cañada, a team from Redwood City that has lost four of its last five and hasn’t scored more than 69 this season. SBCC is averaging 79 points while giving up 85.2.
“I’m more interested in what we’re not doing right now,” he said. “Our focus is on ourselves.”
SBCC CLASSIC SCHEDULE
Tickets: $5 per game or $12 for a 3-day pass
Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008
3 p.m. — Cypress (5-5) vs. Grossmont (1-7)
5 p.m. — Oxnard (2-6) vs. Victor Valley (6-3)
7 p.m. — SBCC (4-9) vs. Cañada (2-7)
9 p.m. — Hancock (3-8) vs. L.A. Valley (6-3)
Friday, Dec. 12
Consolation semifinals, 3 & 5 p.m.
Championship semifinals, 7 & 9 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 13
3 p.m. — Consolation final
5 p.m. — Third place
7 p.m. — Championship
