SMCC Men's Hoops Falls to GCC, CGCC

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College men's basketball team (6-11, 1-8 ACCAC) lost 89-65 to Glendale CC on Jan. 13 and 85-80 to Chandler-Gilbert CC on Jan. 17 in a pair of ACCAC contests. Freshman Parker Escalante led SMCC with 22 points, and sophomore Nyzhir Brown added a season-high 19 points against the Gauchos. Four days later, sophomore Jaylen Wesley led SMCC with 27 points and five steals, and Escalante added 18 as the Coyotes edged the Cougars at the SMCC Gym. 

Glendale CC Recap 

SMCC trailed 39-29 at halftime and fell 50-36 in the second half. The Cougars shot 46.2 percent (24 of 52) from the field and added 29 rebounds, nine assists, nine steals, and three blocks in defeat. 

Escalante finished 7 of 13 from the field and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line. He added four rebounds, four assists, a season-high five steals, and one block in 25 minutes. 

Brown knocked down a season-high five 3-pointers and added three rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block in 30 minutes. Sophomore Coleman Anderson scored nine points off the bench and added three rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 21 minutes. 

Freshman Torian Gant also scored nine points, finishing 4 of 7 from the field, and added four rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 24 minutes. Freshmen Deavon Felix and Jayven Driscoll each had five rebounds. 

Chandler-Gilbert CC Recap 

The Cougars nearly pulled off a dramatic comeback but came up a few points short in an 85-80 loss to CGCC on Jan. 17. 

After trailing 37-25 at halftime, SMCC roared back in the second half to get within 71-70 after a Brown 3-pointer with three minutes to play. From there, the Coyotes scored seven straight points before a pair of Escalante free throws stemmed the run. 

Three free throws from Escalante would get SMCC within 80-75 with less than a minute to play, but that would be as close as it would get. 

Wesley was 12 of 24 from the floor and added nine rebounds, two assists, a season-high five steals, and a block in 35 minutes. 

Escalante was second on the team with 18 points, finishing 6 of 11 from the field and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line. He also dished out a season-high seven assists, three steals, a block, and one rebound in 37 minutes. 

Brown made four 3-pointers and finished with 14 points. He posted three rebounds and an assist in 34 minutes. Freshman Deven Johnson scored nine points off the bench, and freshman Jayven Driscoll had four points and four offensive rebounds in 16 minutes.