Men’s basketball: Season over for Pirates

Tony Altobelli

LOS ANGELES - Cold shooting and a slew of turnovers proved too much

for the Orange Coast College men’s basketball team to overcome in

Saturday’s 95-79 loss to Los Angeles Valley in the first round of the

Southern California Playoffs.

Jeff Beeler led the Pirates with 23 points, including five

three-pointers, while David Castleton added 22 for OCC (13-17).

“We started off slow and we made too many early mistakes,” Coach Mark

Hill said.

The Pirates managed to cut the lead down to eight in the second half, but

could not get any closer.

“We managed to get it close,” Hill said. “But L.A. Valley managed to hit

some free throws and kept us from getting over the final hump.”

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PLAYOFFS

First round

L.A. Valley 95, Orange Coast 79

Orange Coast - Castleton 22, Earl 3, Nguyen 12, Beeler 23, Elliott 16,

Hagedorn 3.

3 pt. goals - Castelton 2, Earl 1, Nguyen 1, Beeler 5.

Fouled out - Earl, Walters, Elliott, Hagedorn.

L.A. Valley - Cun 2, Bakhoum 5, Ellis 10, Lang 16, Williamson 17, Brooks

2, Slater 17, Huff 3, Jordan 14, Crawford 9.

3 pt. goals - Bakhoum 1, Ellis 1, Lang 1, Willamson 2, Slater 1.

Fouled out - Lang, Crawford.

Halftime - L.A. Valley, 44-32.