After a tough three-point loss against Southwestern College on Friday, Mesa College knew it had to defeat Imperial Valley College to remain in contention for the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference crown.
“This was a must win for us,” states head coach Travis Nichols. “We’ve had some close games that we couldn’t close out, so it was nice to get back on track. We played better man to man defense and we are finally starting to see how our overall defense can be the strength of our team.”
The coaching staff has emphasized the need for the players to aggressively rebound. Against Imperial Valley College the Olympians collected 11 offensive rebounds, 12 steals, and 6 blocks.
Freshmen Aren Thomas (Dekaney HS) and Adrian Lee (Castle Park HS) led the team with 18 points. Freshman Cameron Hill (Serra HS) also contributed with 17 points.
“We continue to get better but we are still suffering from mental lapses down the stretch,” adds Nichols. “It was a great bounce back game, but we need to continue to improve. We are extremely proud of how our team played today.”
The Olympians continue conference play on Wednesday, February 13 as they travel to face Grossmont College. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.