Chargers Fall Short to Allan Hancock in the 3C2A SoCal Regionals
Despite a near comeback, Cypress Falls to Allan Hancock, 72-65
SANTA MARIA, CA - The No. 18 seed Cypress men's basketball team (16-13, 7-7 OEC) falls to the No. 15 seed Allan Hancock Bulldogs (21-8, 9-3 WSC) by a score of 72-65.
Facing a 21-win Allan Hancock squad, the Chargers showed resilience all evening, cutting into an early deficit and making the Bulldogs earn every possession down the stretch.
After trailing 38-27 at halftime, Cypress came out with a completely different edge in the second half. The Chargers tightened up defensively, holding Allan Hancock to just 26.9% shooting after the break (37.0% overall) and chipped away possession by possession.
Sophomore Michael Wright delivered a playoff performance, pouring in a game-high 25 points while adding eight rebounds in 38 minutes of action. Wright attacked the rim, stepped into big shots, and carried the offensive load when Cypress needed a spark. He made a key three point shot that kept the Chargers within striking distance with 28 seconds left, but it wasn't enough to pull out the win.
Lincoln Dean provided a major lift off the bench with 13 points, including a pair of three-pointers while Amaan Zavahir added 12 points and six rebounds. The Chargers finished with 18 points off turnovers and eight fast-break points, consistently creating opportunities through hustle plays.
Despite being outrebounded 49-28 and facing a 39 free-throw attempt night from the home team, Cypress refused to fold. The Chargers matched Allan Hancock with 22 points in the paint and closed the gap to single digits late, forcing the Bulldogs to execute at the line to seal it.
The Chargers ended their season with 16 wins and 13 losses overall and placed 4th in the OEC. Second year Michael Wright ended the season as the team's leading scorer, rebounder, and one of the top performers in the Orange Empire Conference. Wright averaged 17.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game and was named first-team all-conference. Point guard Zack Moritz finished No. 3 in the conference in assists with 83 and ranked No. 5 in 3-point percentage at 39.0, earning second-team all-conference honors. Jack Rivera was also named to the All-OEC Second Team, averaging 12.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. He shot 40.6% from beyond the 3-point line, making him the 3rd most efficient 3-point shooter in the conference. He also shot 96.2% from the free throw line, only missing 2 free throws the entire season.
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