The MSJC men's basketball team has won a home game and a road game so far this post-season and now will travel to top seeded and defending 3C2A state champion Fullerton on Saturday night to compete in a So Cal Regional Final.
The Eagles, who come into the game as the Region's #9 seed, have an impressive 27-3 overall record on the season and finished as the runners-up in the Inland Empire Athletic Conference. MSJC averages over 94 points per game which is second in the state and have scored at least 100 points nine different times this year. Four Eagles will enter Saturday averaging over 15 points per contest led by 6'2 guard Dasean Stevens at 21.8 per contest. Stevens also brings in 7 rebounds a game and dishes out 4.3 assists, last season he was named to the 3C2A All-State team. Isaiah Skinner comes into the game at 18.7 points and 6.1 rebounds a game while BJ Brown, who has made 82 three point shots in 25 games, is averaging 16.4. Isiah Shirley scores 15.3 a night and his brother Elijah Shirley leads the team in rebounding at 8.1. Point guard Jackson Bernardo, who has started all but one game this year, passes out over 4 assists a game to go along with 7 points. MSJC advanced to this point in the tournament with a first round home win over Glendale 83-76 and a second round road win at Moorpark 94-86. All three of the Eagles' losses this year came inside conference play.
Fullerton will begin Saturday night 25-4 overall, they are the number one seed in the Region and were champions of the Orange Empire Athletic Conference for the third straight season. The Hornets won their second round game against Cerritos last Saturday night 79-67. The defending state champions also won a title in 2019. This year the Hornets have a balanced offensive attack with 9 players averaging 6 or more points. Jeremiah Davis (13.3) and Christian Watson (11.8) are the only two that average double figures with Amound Anderson II just shy at 9.9 points per game. Fullerton hangs it's hat on solid team defense and they come into the Regional Final giving up just 62 points per game, the fourth lowest average in the state.
Something will have to give on Saturday when they two contrasting styles meet. Tip-off Saturday is set for 6 pm. Tickets will be available at the door, CASH ONLY. If you can not make it to the game it will be live streamed at the link below.