Community College Basketball

Fullerton College used a balanced attack to defeat Pasadena, 66-35, Wednesday night in a nonconference women's basketball game at Fullerton. Steffi Strauss scored 12 points and Heidi Shikuma 11 for the Hornets (11-1). Fullerton led, 34-17, at halftime. Sheryl Opsal scored nine points for Pasadena (3-7). In another nonconference game: Grossmont 81, Rancho Santiago 46--Karen Boisvert 33 points for host Grossmont (6-3), which led, 35-15, at halftime.

In another men's playoff game: L.A. Valley 84, Fullerton 80--The Hornets' Levar Grace missed a three-pointer with nine seconds left and L.A. Valley's DaMarcus Ellis then made two free throws with five seconds remaining to clinch the victory. Romel Beck had 26 points and J.J. Sola 21 for Fullerton (22-11). In the second round of the women's Southern California regional: Irvine Valley 76, L.A.

The Golden West College women's basketball team clinched its first South Coast Conference championship with a 97-47 victory over Long Beach City Friday at Huntington Beach. The Rustlers' April Marion led all scorers with 25 points. All five Golden West starters scored in double figures. It was the 12th consecutive victory for The Rustlers (12-0, 29-1), who are ranked first in Southern California and second in the state.

Despite fouling out with more than eight minutes to play, foward Andy Olivares scored 25 points and had 12 rebounds Saturday night to lead the Cypress College men's basketball team to a 99-72 victory over College of the Canyons in a first-round game of the Palomar Tournament. Olivares had 21 points in the first half, including five three-point shots, as the Chargers built a 48-33 halftime lead. Jim Sammon added 15 points for Cypress (9-7).

The torrid pace that Rancho Santiago College has been setting the past two months came to an abrupt halt Saturday night as Cypress upset the Dons, 87-75, in an Orange Empire Conference men's basketball game at Cypress. The loss broke Rancho Santiago's school-record 18-game winning streak and leaves the Dons (7-1, 24-4) a game ahead of Saddleback with two left in the conference race. Before Saturday, Rancho Santiago's last loss was to Fullerton, 80-75, Dec. 5 in the Grossmont Tournament.

For the past two years, Orange County community college basketball was simple to follow. There was just the South Coast Conference, and all six county teams played in it. Well, thanks to a neat bit of realignment, Golden West and Fullerton are the only county teams remaining in the South Coast Conference. Cypress, Orange Coast, Rancho Santiago and Saddleback have taken off for the Orange Empire Conference.

Cypress men's basketball Coach Don Johnson returns tonight to the gym in which he played community college basketball with a chance to become the winningest coach in the state's history. Johnson's Cypress team travels to Fullerton for a 7 p.m. Orange Empire Conference game. Johnson, in his 26th season, has a 563-235 record, as many victories as former Merced Coach Don Reid, who was 563-206 in 25 seasons.

Kenny Ammann scored 26 points to lead Rancho Santiago College to a 70-61 victory over Saddleback Saturday in an Orange Empire Conference men's basketball game at Rancho Santiago. The victory moves the Dons (19-6, 4-1) into second place in the conference race at the halfway point. Saddleback (15-8, 3-2) is third. Cypress (22-5, 5-0) leads the conference. Ammann, a sophomore transfer from Cal State Bakersfield, made 13 of 15 free throws for Rancho Santiago.