1/9/13: Gauchos cruise past Pirates in OEC home-opener
 Saddleback improved to 2-0 in Orange Empire Conference play with a 72-42 win over Orange Coast College on Wednesday night at the Saddleback Gymnasium. The Gauchos finished the first half on a 23-5 run en route to its second largest margin of victory for the season.
Saddleback was red hot from the field in the second half as the Gauchos shot 53% from the field in the second 20 minutes, making 5-of-12 from three-point range. McKay Lasalle and DJ Feitl were red hot from the outside, combining for 8-of-15 from beyond the arc for the night.
Lasalle (pictured) finished with a team-high 16 points while Feitl finished with 12, making a flurry of shots from downtown down the stretch. Saddleback also held a 44-30 advantage on the boards as Carlton Hayes and Alex Worthen-Harris both finished with a team-high of six.
As impressive as the Gauchos were on offense, they were equally impressive on defense. Orange Coast shot just 16% in the first half, making only 4-of-25 shots. Saddleback forced Orange Coast into 17 turnovers while blocking eight Pirate shots for the game.
Saddleback improved to 15-4 on the season and 2-0 in Orange Empire Conference play with the win. The Gauchos will have the rest of the week off before hosting Cypress College next Wednesday night. Tip time is set for 7:30 PM.
Orange Coast fell to 9-8, 0-2 with the loss.
1/5/13: Gauchos clamp down on IVC in President’s Cup
 The Saddleback men’s basketball team received 18 points from Josh Smith on way to a 54-49 win over Irvine Valley College in the opener of the Orange Empire Conference schedule on Friday night at IVC. The two schools play for the President’s Cup every year, which combined with the women’s games has a trophy that is passed around between the two programs.
Smith (pictured) finished 7-for-9 from the field and was 4-of-4 from the free throw line in leading the Gaucho attack. He also finished with six rebounds and two blocked-shots as Saddleback played gritty on defense, holding the Lasers to 29% shooting for the game.
Saddleback opened up a 31-17 lead at the half on the strength of a 21-13 advantage in rebounding. Smith had 14 first-half points as the Gauchos scored the first six points of the game and never relinquished the lead. Saddleback led by as many as 19 points midway through the second half before Irvine Valley started to chip away at the lead. The Lasers would eventually cut the lead to two with 39 seconds remaining in the game, but two late baskets by AJ Brevard would ice the game in the closing seconds.
Saddleback entered the contest ranked No. 4 in the state and No. 2 in Southern California. The Gauchos improved to 14-4 on the season and now stand at 1-0 in OEC play. Irvine Valley dropped to 8-7 overall and 0-1 in Orange Empire Conference play with the loss.
Saddleback will play again on Wednesday night at home against Orange Coast College. Tip time is set for 7:30 PM.
12/20/12: Gauchos overcome rough start to beat Miramar
The Saddleback men’s basketball team overcame a rough start in beating Miramar College, 58-48, on Thursday night at the Saddleback Gymnasium. The Gauchos clamped down on defense in the second half, holding the Jets to just 16 second-half points.
 Saddleback looked like a team in shock through the first 20 minutes, as Miramar looked like the second straight team that was going to come in and shoot the lights out from three-point range after Fresno City shot 69% from beyond the arc just two nights earlier. The Jets buried five shots from downtown in taking a 32-26 lead into the intermission.
The Gauchos rebounded in the second half, holding Miramar to just 26% shooting from the field, including 0-of-3 from three-point range. In addition, Saddleback took control of the game on the glass, outrebounding the Jets 24-13 in allowing very few second chance opportunities.
Darnell Taylor (pictured) led the Gauchos on offense, scoring a game-high 16 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the field. AJ Brevard was also instrumental in the win, scoring 11 points and making six straight free throws down the stretch as Saddleback improved to 11-4 on the season. Saddleback also received a nice performance on defense from Rashad Davis, who collected six rebounds while blocking four Miramar shots.
After taking the early lead, Miramar took the lead at the 5:55 mark of the first half and kept the lead until the 12:47 mark of the second half when Taylor made a layup for a 38-37 advantage. The Jets would never get closer the rest of the way, as Saddleback would make 6-of-8 free throws down the stretch.
Saddleback will play again at Los Angeles Pierce College (10-5) on Saturday afternoon. Tip time is set for 3:00 PM.
12/15/12: The big chill keeps Gauchos from title
 Saddleback's shooting, much like the weather this week, was a bit frosty while San Diego City College was raining three-pointers on the way to a 69-68 victory over the Gauchos in the championship game of the Bill Brummel Classic hosted by Saddleback on Saturday afternoon.
Saddleback (10-3) was cold at the foul line (53%) and frigid from three-point country (22%), resulting in a seven point halftime deficit (36-29) against a San Diego squad which hit six three-pointers in the first half for the 36-29 advantage at the intermission. The Knights (9-7) drained four more long-range shots and built up a 14 point lead with just over two minutes to play before the momentum finally started to swing back towards the Gauchos.
Sophomore Darnell Taylor then scored 10 points over the next minute to bring the Gauchos to within four and McKay Lasalle drained a three-pointer to make it a one-point game with :50 on the clock. After San Diego added a pair of free throws, the Gauchos were able to get two good looks at tying the game but three-point attempts by Carlton Hayes and Taylor missed their marks and Josh Smith's tip-in at the buzzer cut the final deficit to one point but gave the Knights the tournament title.
Taylor finished with 18 points and Smith added 13 points and seven rebounds, but Saddleback's 14-of-26 effort at the charity stripe and 4-of-18 accuracy from long-range were no match to San Diego's. The Knights were 15-of-20 at the foul line (75%) and 10-of-17 from three-point range (59%), although they were 8-of-12 from three-point range at one point in the game.
Smith (top) and Hayes (right) earned all-tournament honors for Saddleback while Anthony Poindexter and Trevor English earned all-tournament honors for San Diego. English was named the tournament MVP.
Davon Potts of Cypress also earned all-tournament honors after helping to lead Cypress to an 87-83 overtime win over Long Beach City College in the third place game. Jaylen Bland of College of the Canyons also earned all-tournament honors after leading Canyons to an 80-65 triumph over MiraCosta College in the consolation game.
Saddleback will host Fresno City College on Tuesday, December 18, at 5:00 p.m. in the campus gym and will add a Thursday (Dec. 20) game against Miramar College, also at 5:00 p.m.
12/14/12: Gauchos to play for tournament title
Saddleback was able to breeze past Cypress College in a championship semifinal matchup on Friday night, 77-49, to reach the championship game of the Bill Brummel Classic being hosted on the Saddleback College campus. The Gauchos (10-2) will face San Diego City College (8-7) at 4:00 p.m. in the Saddleback gym.
Saddleback found itself down by a handful of points early in the first half before outlasting the undermanned Chargers to take a 41-29 lead into the intermission. Cypress only had three substitutes for Friday's game while Saddleback was able to play its substitutes for most of the second half.
Backup center Casey Oldemoppen led the team with 14 points and nine rebounds. Starting center Carlton Hayes added 12 points and seven rebounds but played less than half the game.
The Gauchos had a 38-14 scoring advantage from inside the key and added a 22-3 scoring advantage off of turnovers. Saddleback only committed 12 turnovers while Cypress committed 20 turnovers. But the big difference was in the depth and strength of the Gaucho bench. Saddleback's substitutes outscored Cypress' substitutes, 51-3.
College of the Canyons and MiraCosta will meet in the Consolation final at 12:00 p.m. while Long Beach City College and Cypress will play in the Third Place game starting at 2:00 p.m. Saddleback has won this tournament six previous times and finished second on four occasions. This is the 15th annual Bill Brummel Classic event.
12/13/12:
Quick start propels Gauchos to win in Brummel Classic
 The Saddleback men’s basketball team scored the first nine points of the game and never looked back in beating Mira Costa College, 58-51, in the quarterfinals of the Bill Brummel Classic on Thursday night at the Saddleback Gymnasium. It was the fifth straight win for the Gauchos, who improved to 9-2 on the season.
Josh Smith (pictured) led a balanced attack with 12 points and 10 rebounds, also leading the team with five steals and three blocked shots. Smith was all over the court for Saddleback, with all 10 of his rebounds coming in the defensive end.
Saddleback was stellar in the defensive zone all night, holding Mira Costa to 37% shooting for the game and just 31% in the second half. Gaucho defenders force the Spartans in 22 turnovers while blocking six shots for the game.
Meanwhile, the Saddleback offense sputtered at times after the quick start. The Gauchos finished the game shooting only 41%, making 6-of-18 from three-point range. AJ Brevard came off the bench to score 10 points while Alexis Moore also added 10.
Saddleback improved to 9-2 on the season with the win. They will play the winner of Cypress/Los Angeles Trade Tech on Friday night at 7:00 PM.
12/13/12: Gauchos jump to No. 3 in the polls entering Brummel Classic
 The Saddleback men’s basketball team made a big jump in the California Community Colleges Men’s Basketball Coaches Association Poll this week, climbing all the way to No. 3 in the state. The Gauchos open the Bill Brummel Classic tonight at home against Mira Costa College at 5:00 PM.
Saddleback now has a bullseye on its back after jumping nearly 15 spots in winning the prestigious Wells Fargo Classic in Riverside last weekend. The Gauchos now sit behind only Mt. San Antonio College (2) and San Francisco (1) in the state rankings after an 8-2 start.
Saddleback welcomes three ranked programs to town for the start of the Bill Brummel Classic on Thursday through Saturday. The opening game at 1:00 PM features San Diego City (6-5) against arch rival and 15th ranked (in the South) Irvine Valley College (6-4). The 3:00 PM game has Long Beach City College (4-5) facing College of the Canyons (5-3), who comes in at No. 20 in the state and No. 10 in the south. Saddleback (8-2) will host Mira Costa College at 5:00 PM, and the Spartans enter the tournament at 6-2 overall and ranked No. 11 in Southern California after winning the consolation title at Antelope Valley two weeks back. The final game of the day features Los Angeles Trade Tech (2-8) versus Cypress College (2-7) at 7:00 PM.
12/9/12: Gauchos defeat Palomar for Wells Fargo title
 The Saddleback men’s basketball team had its biggest weekend of the season so far in capturing the championship of the four-day, 41st annual Riverside Wells Fargo Tournament. The Gauchos defeated Palomar College 61-57 in arguably the toughest tournament in the state to improve to 8-2 overall.
Saddleback trailed by four at the half before turning it on in the second half. The Gauchos shot 52% over the final 20 minutes, making 5-of-10 from three-point range.
Carlton Hayes (pictured) led the charge in the final 20 minutes, making all three shots from beyond the arc while scoring 13 second-half points. Hayes finished tied with AJ Brevard with a team-high 15 points for the game as Saddleback beat the Comets on the boards, 29-24 for the game.
Saddleback scored the first seven points of the second half in grabbing a 32-29 lead. The Gauchos would never relinquish the lead, extending the lead to 10 with 6:50 remaining. Palomar would eventually chip away at the lead and get it down to two with just seven seconds remaining. However, Hayes would make two free throws with five seconds remaining to ice the win.
Saddleback improved to 8-2 on the season with the win. The Gauchos will play next on Thursday in the opening game of the Bill Brummel Classic when they host Mira Costa College. Game time is set for 5:00 PM.
12/8/12: Gauchos beat Santa Rosa to advance to RCC finals
The Saddleback men’s basketball team advanced to the finals of the 41st annual Riverside City College Tournament with a 62-61 win over Santa Rosa Junior College on Saturday night. The Gauchos will play Palomar College in the finals at 7:00 PM.
Saddleback entered the rugged RCC tournament at 4-2 overall and trying to find its swagger. They have done just that, winning their third straight game in arguably the toughest tournament in the state. The Gauchos took a 32-27 lead at the half behind the strength of great shooting and rebounding as Saddleback shot 57% from the field and held a 16-7 advantage on the glass in the first 20 minutes.
Saddleback extended the lead to 13 after AJ Brevard made a layup with 11:37 remaining to give the Gauchos a 46-33 lead. Santa Rosa would chip away at the lead over the next 10 minutes, and eventually climb within two with 1:43 remaining. The teams would trade baskets before Santa Rosa decided to see if Saddleback could hold the lead at the free throw line. Saddleback would make 5-of-9 in the closing minute, including two from Carlton Hayes with six seconds remaining to give the Gauchos a 62-58 lead. Santa Rosa made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cut the lead to one, but ran out of time in losing just their third game of the year.
Josh Smith (pictured) led the Gauchos in both scoring and rebounding, as he finished with 17 points on 7-of-10 from the field. Smith also had eight rebounds as Saddleback held a 34-26 advantage for the game.
The Gauchos were once again stingy on defense, holding Santa Rosa to just 27% shooting from three-point range. Through three games in the tournament, Saddleback has allowed an average of 48 points-per-game.
The Gauchos will play Palomar College in the finals on Saturday night at 7:00 PM. Palomar was a 71-62 winner over San Diego City College in the late game. The Comets enter the finals at 8-4 on the season.
12/6/12: Gauchos defeat Antelope Valley to advance to semis
 The Saddleback defense was on display for the second straight day at the annual Riverside City College Tournament on Thursday. The Gauchos shut down Antelope Valley en route to a 50-42 win over the Marauders to advance to the tournament semifinals.
Saddleback looked like a team in trouble in the first half on Thursday when they went 11:39 without a basket, falling behind 9-2 with just seven minutes remaining in the first half. The Gauchos finally found their mark, outscoring the Marauders 17-11 to finish the half down 20-19.
 The second half was a different story, as Saddleback shot 50% from the field in breaking away from an Antelope Valley team came into the game ranked No. 5 in Southern California and No. 9 in the state. McKay LaSalle (left) came off the bench to score nine second-half points while AJ Brevard (right) came off the bench to score eight as the Gauchos remained stingy on defense for a second straight day. Saddleback had its largest lead of the game at the 2:30 mark after a nine point run to make the score 45-36. The Gauchos made five straight free throws in the final 40 seconds to close out the win.
Saddleback’s defense was once again a force, forcing Antelope Valley into 20 turnovers while holding the Marauders to 41% shooting on the day. Josh Smith and AJ Brevard led the offensive charge with 14 points apiece as the Gauchos improved to 6-2 on the season.
Saddleback will play the winner of Santa Rosa and Mt. San Jacinto on Friday in the tournament semifinals. Santa Rosa entered the day at 7-3 and ranked No. 5 in the state while Mt. San Jacinto is 9-1 and ranked No. 11.
12/5/12: Gaucho defense stingy in RCC Tourney win over Long Beach City
 Defense has been a hallmark of the Andy Ground era at Saddleback College, and through six games the defense had not been where the coach wanted it to be. It seemed to find its course on Wednesday as the Gauchos held the Vikings to 41 points to open the annual Riverside Tournament with a win.
Saddleback clamped down on the Long Beach team to improve to 5-2 with a 51-41 win. Although it wasn’t pretty at times, the Gauchos found out they could win despite a cold-shooting night if they hunkered down in the defensive end.
Saddleback received 17 points from Darnell Taylor (left), who was the only player on the court to shoot better than 50% from the field as he finished 6-for-9 from the field and 4-of-6 from the free throw line. Josh Smith chipped in 10 points and led the Gauchos with seven rebounds in the win.
Saddleback had a narrow 26-23 lead at the intermission as the Gauchos forced Long Beach into 13 first half turnovers. Things didn’t get any better in the second half for the Vikings, as Saddleback defenders held Long Beach to 25% shooting from the field in the second 20 minutes, missing all six shots from beyond the arc.
It was clearly the best defensive effort of the season for a program that routinely finishes in the top-10 in the state in defense. The 41 points allowed was the least amount of points surrendered for a Saddleback team since allowing just 37 to Columbia College on December 10, 2010.
Saddleback advanced to the quarterfinals, where they will face Antelope Valley at 1:00 PM. The Marauders are 4-3 on the season after upsetting the top-ranked team from Southern California, Ventura College, on Wednesday night. Antelope Valley came into the week ranked No. 9 in the state and No. 5 in Southern California. The Gauchos are ranked No. 16 and No. 9 in the polls, respectively.
11/29/12: Taylor to play at Boise State
Saddleback men’s basketball guard Darnell Taylor has signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Boise State University, according to the basketball office. Taylor was an all-state selection and the co-MVP of the Orange Empire Conference a year ago.
Taylor signed his letter of intent to play at Boise after leading the Gauchos in scoring a season ago, averaging 13.3 points-per-game. He made 78% of his free throws and was second on the team with 85 assists.
Taylor was named Co-MVP of the OEC along with teammate Josh Smith, and both were later named all-state by the coach’s association.
Boise State is located in Boise, Idaho, and currently plays in the Mountain West Conference.
11/17/12: Bench play sparks Gauchos into Fullerton finals
 The Saddleback men’s basketball team advanced to the Fullerton College Tournament finals on Friday night with a 78-72 win over Palomar College. The Gaucho bench scored 36 points and advanced to the finals on Saturday where they will meet Chaffey College.
Saddleback and Palomar played to a 39-39 tie over the first 20 minutes of play, but the Gauchos went to the locker room with four starters having two fouls. The bench picked up the slack, as Terrance Sampson finished with a team-high 15 points and De’Corrius Sampson-Young 14 points in leading the second half charge. Fulton scored all of his points in the second 20 minutes, making 5-of-7 shots from three-point range as three Saddleback starters fouled out of the game. Sampson-Young made 7-of-8 free throws for the Gauchos in the second half, as Saddleback grabbed the lead at the 14:29 mark and never looked back. Saddleback twice extended the lead to 14 points in the final eight minutes of the game, and never allowed the Comets to get closer than three points until the final minute of the game. Sampson-Young then buried three straight free throws in the final seconds to ice the win.
Saddleback will face Chaffey in the finals after the Panthers defeated Fullerton 86-69 in the other semifinal. The Gauchos (4-1) and Chaffey (2-0) will tip off at 7:00 pm.
9/7/12: Former Gaucho goes No. 1 overall
 Former Saddleback College basketball player Robert Curtis was selected with the No. 1 pick overall in the National Basketball League of Canada on Monday night in Toronto. Curtis was a part of the 2009-10 state title team, scoring 21 points in the semi-final game versus Citrus to lead the Gauchos to the state title game.
Curtis was recruited by Cal State Dominguez Hills following the 2009-10 campaign, but ended up sitting out the following season before playing at Wayland Baptist, where he averaged 13.1 points-per-game and 6.8 rebounds for the Pioneers.
Curtis was selected by the Windsor Express on Monday, but was quickly acquired by the Saint John Mill Rats in exchange for their No. 5 overall pick and the rights to a player. The Canadian Basketball League is in its second year of existence and consists of eight teams.
5/17/12:
Golston and Marsing sign deals with 4-year programs
 The Saddleback men’s basketball program announced this week that both Devin Golston and Nate Marsing have signed letters of intent at four-year programs. Golston will continue his career at Dominican University while Marsing will play his final three seasons at Westmont College.
 Golston (left) transferred into the program this past season from Cypress College and finished fourth on the team in scoring for the season (6.9 ppg). He finished second on the team in both field goal percentage (.552) and free throw shooting (78%) while averaging 3.3 rebouncds-per-game. Golston will continue his career at Dominican University in San Rafael, California. The Penguins play an NCAA DII schedule in the Pacific West Conference
Marsing (right) transferred into the program from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, playing in 27 games for the Gauchos in 2011-12. He averaged 1.4 points-per-game playing behind two all-state selections. Marsing will finish his final three years of competition at Westmont College, located in Santa Barbara, California. The Warriors play an NAIA schedule in the Golden State Athletic Conference and finished this past season at 19-9.
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