Tigers Outlast Pesky Vikings, 72-59, to Snap Three-game Losing Streak

RIVERSIDE – Getting a victory before going on semester break, the host Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers men's basketball team snapped a three-game losing streak and posted a 72-59 nonconference win over the visiting Barstow College Vikings in a Saturday afternoon matinee game (Dec. 20) at historic Arthur N. Wheelock Gymnasium.

Riverside (5-9 overall) broke a 22-22 tie with a modest 8-0 run over a span of 1:26 for a 30-22 lead with 5:29 to play in the opening stanza. Freshman guard Armani Hampton (Sacramento / Sheldon HS '13) drained a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give RCC a 36-27 halftime lead.

In the second half, the Tigers made 14 of 20 field goal attempts (70%), but were only five of 15 on free throws (33.3%). Nevertheless, they kept the Vikings at bay as they built a 72-49 lead with 1:38 left before Barstow scored the game's final ten points to get cosmetically closer.

RCC had four starters score in double figures, led by sophomore guard Jelani Mitchell (Pasadena / John Muir HS '13) tossed in a team-high 13 points and added a co-game-high five assists for Riverside. Hampton added 12 points (three three-pointers), as did freshman forward Viali Chamberlain (Miami, FL / Miami Norland HS '13). Sophomore forward Taj Adams (Los Angeles / Fairfax HS '12) chipped in with 11 points and a game-high seven rebounds.

For Barstow (1-11 overall), sophomore guard Cedric Young led the Vikings with a game-high 15 points. Freshman forward Daylin Billingsley added 12 points and six rebounds for Barstow.

Riverside returns to action on Friday, January 2, 2015, when it visits the Ventura College Pirates in a 7 p.m. tipoff. Ventura, of course, is one of the old stomping grounds of current RCC head coach Phil Mathews, who spent ten seasons (1985-86 through 1994-95) as the Pirates' head coach.

After that, RCC will open Orange Empire Conference (OEC) competition on Wednesday, Jan. 7, when it hosts the Fullerton College Hornets in the second half of a twin feature at 7 p.m. (note new time for OEC games). The RCC women will host Fullerton at 5 p.m.

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