Gauchos to face nemesis Fresno City in semifinals

The Saddleback men's basketball team advanced to the Final Four on Saturday night with a 68-58 win over East Los Angeles College.  The Gauchos will face a long-time nemesis Fresno City College in the semifinals on Saturday night at 7:00 PM at Los Positas College.

The Gauchos have been one of the most successful programs in the state since beginning men's basketball in 1968.  Saddleback has won three state titles, 20 conference titles and accumulated 1,011 wins against just 496 losses.  That is an average of 21-10 over a 48-year span.  One thing they have never done, however, is beat Fresno City.  The Rams are 12-0 lifetime against the Gauchos…a seemingly impossible stat for a Gaucho program that has enjoyed so much success. 

Two years ago Saddleback went to Fresno and was beaten 64-54 by a Fresno City team that shot 52% from the field.  Three years ago Fresno City came to the Saddleback Gymnasium and gutted the Gauchos 79-64 in a season when they (FCC) went on to win the state title.  The Gauchos were nipped by Fresno City 76-75 in the 2007 state semifinals after getting down by 19 at the half.  In 2005, the Rams defeated Saddleback 95-82 in the state semifinals when they shot 71% from the field, making 11-of-18 from beyond the arc.  In short, the Gauchos have never been able to find the right algorithm, and are hoping to find it this weekend near the tech capital of the world. 

Fresno City advanced to the Final Four with a 100-89 win over Contra Costa College on Saturday night in Fresno.  It was the 13^th time this season Fresno City has topped the century mark, and the sixth time in the past seven games.  The Rams lead the state in scoring, averaging 91.9 points-per-game.  Conversely, Fresno City ranks No. 35 in the state in defense, giving up 70.4. 

Fresno City enters the game at 28-6 on the season, but has been red hot since early December after starting the season 5-5.  The Rams have won 23 of their past 24 games, losing only once to College of the Sequoias on January 27 (79-81).   Fresno City is led by Central Valley Conference co-MVP B.J. Shelton, who averages 15.9 points-per-game on 65% shooting for the year.  The Rams also have first team all-conference players Aaron Cameron and Mike Crawley, who both shoot over 40% from three-point range.  Making things even more difficult is 6'8 forward DeAngelo Ashley, who was the co-Defensive MVP of the conference.

On the other side of the ledger, Saddleback advanced to the Final Four with a 68-58 win over East Los Angeles College, a team that came in averaging 82.4 points-per-game.  They defeated Bakersfield College 64-56 in the semifinals in overtime after the Renegades came in averaging just over 84 points-per-game.  In short, Saddleback will counter the best offense with the best defensive team in the state. 

The Gauchos (30-1) have won 24 straight games and are giving up a state-best 55.8 points-per-game.  Saddleback has given up 60-or-less points in 23 games this season, winning all 23 times.  Saddleback is allowing opponents a state-best 33.3% shooting from the field and also leads the state in three-point defense (26.9%). 

Saddleback had seven players make the all-Orange Empire Conference Team, led by conference-MVP freshman guard T.J. Shorts.  The local Tustin High School star averages 12.7 points-per-game, shooting 56% from three point range and 80% from the free throw line.  He was joined on the first team by forwards Breaon Brady and Lyle Hexom and back-up point guard Jalen Hall.  In addition, starting forward Brandon Fagins and guards Devonte Klines and Maurice Jones were also named to the second team, giving the Gauchos one of the deepest rosters in the state. 

If that isn't enough, the two programs feature two of the great tacticians in the game in Fresno City head coach Ed Madec and Saddleback head coach Andy Ground.  Madec is 292-50 in his 10^th season at Fresno City, winning state titles in 2007 and 2011 and capturing 10 consecutive Central Valley Conference championships.   Ground is now 219-43 after the win on Saturday night, capturing state titles in 2010 and 2015 with six conference titles in eight seasons, including the past five.

The two teams will play at Los Positas College in the state semifinals on Saturday night in Livermore, California.  The winner will face the winner of City College of San Francisco and Chaffey College who play in the opening semifinal at 5:00 PM. 

The only question that remains is, who and what will win out?  Will it be the top offensive team in the state with a 12-0 record against its opponent, or will it be the defending state champs with the top defense in the state?  Will it be the up-tempo, run and gun offense or the bruising, clamp-down defense? 

We'll see you in Livermore on Saturday, hoping this meeting is Lucky 13 for the Gauchos!