STRUGGLES CONTINUE FOR MARAUDER MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

Photo by Bruce Jacobsen

GLENDORA - The Jekyll and Hyde season for the Marauder men's basketball team continued as it dropped its third game in the past four, with an 81-72 loss to Citrus College, Wednesday night.

The Marauders needed a lot of help to even be in the conversation of becoming conference champions and it started with defeating the Owls. Unfortunately, that didn't happen and now the Marauders are hoping to make the playoffs.

Citrus clinched at least a share of the conference title as it swept the season series with AVC. The Marauders were defeated by the Owls at home on Jan. 25.

AVC saw its season start with a 1-4 record. The Marauders picked things up in the middle of the season and were playing some of their best basketball as they were winners of eight consecutive, 11-of-12, and 15-of-17, one of those a tough loss to Fullerton College in which they saw a late lead slip away in the championship game of the Gregg Anderson Tournament.

"Honestly, tonight the defense had a lot to do with it. We couldn't stop their three's. They were making shot after shot," AVC's Antone Warren said. "They had too many offensive rebounds in the first half. It was just a bad game. Our energy wasn't there for 40 minutes. (Against Glendale on Saturday) we have to stay together and not point the figure at anybody. We have to leave it all on the court and get the 'w'. I feel like we lack confidence in each other. We all have to get on the same page and have the same goal."

The Marauders allowed 13 more 3-pointers and have continued to struggle against the three-ball. Over the past five games AVC has allowed 54 3-pointers, including 16 in a home loss to Barstow.

The Marauders trailed 11-2 early as the Owls used an 11-0 run following the first basket of the game by Warren. The Marauders fought back to tie the score, but that momentum was short lived as Citrus built its lead back up to 28-17. A 3-pointer by the Owls with only six seconds remaining in the half send them into the locker room with a 44-32 lead.

Citrus came out on fire in the second half and led by as many as 20 points (54-34). AVC was able to trim the lead to 10, but the Owls were able to keep AVC at arm's length.

Reggie Byers led the Marauders with a season-high 19 points. Cory Dollarhide, Jailen Gill and Charles Hall each scored 13 points for AVC.