Stags Win Rivalry Game

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps held Pomona-Pitzer to its lowest offensive output in SCIAC play this year, winning in Ducey Gym 62-56 on Saturday night. It was the Stags’ first win over the Sagehens in seven tries and brought CMS within one game of first place in the league standings. CMS is 16-6 overall and 8-3 in SCIAC while Pomona-Pitzer dropped to 12-10 and 9-2.  Chris Blees (SO, Carmichael) led the Stags with 17 points and seven rebounds, and Conner Faught (JR, Agoura Hills [pictured]) had 16 points.
It was an emotional night for the Stags in front of a sold out crowd on Parents Weekend at the Claremont Colleges. “It was especially memorable because we ended a 6 game losing streak, and it was rewarding to get Coach [Ken Scalmanini] a win,” said senior Tejas Gala (Arcadia, CA) after the game.

The game got off to a slow start with neither team scoring for three minutes and the crowd in Ducey Gym groaning after each team missed layups. Pomona-Pitzer scored on five of their next six possessions to take a 12-5 lead. CMS would come back to take a 25-24 lead at halftime, behind thirteen points from Blees and a four-point-play converted by Faught near the end of the half.

Things looked bad for the Stags in the second half when the referees quickly whistled Michael Bagby (JR, Coupeville, WA) for his third and fourth personal fouls. Faught, who missed Wednesday’s game with a shoulder injury, replaced Bagby and scored 12 points of a 28-13 run. Pomona-Pitzer tried to use a zone defense in the second half to stop penetration and Faught was content to make it rain from the perimeter. By the time Pomona-Pitzer’s coach called timeout to stop the run, the score was 45-35 and CMS’ fans were going crazy. CMS continued to score after the timeout, taking a 55-41 lead when Patrick Donnelly (FR, Seattle, WA) sank a jumper off an inbounds pass. The Stags made enought free throws down the stretch to seal the victory and an ignominious walk home for the Sagehen supporters.

CMS held Pomona-Pitzer, the league leader in long range shooting, to 35% from three-point range.   The Hens committed three traveling and three moving screen violations in the second half and ended with 16 turnovers. Their star player David Liss had an off night, making only three of 12 shots from the field.

There are only three games left in the SCIAC season, and Claremont-Mudd Scripps has perhaps the easiest schedule of the top four teams. To take first place, the Stags must win all three games and hope Pomona-Pitzer loses to Cal Lutheran or Whittier. The Stags play at home this Wednesday night against La Verne, who have struggled this year under their new coach, losing eight of their last nine games.