State JC Basketball Tournament : LA Southwest Makes Semifinals

Los Angeles Southwest College advanced to the semifinals of the state Community College basketball Tournament with a 77-76 overtime win over Skyline, Thursday night at Cerritos College.

Sophomore guard Bruce Chew made a free throw for the only point scored in the two-minute overtime. The Trojans had two chances to tie the game, but David Peed and Michael Alexander each missed the front end of one-and-one opportunities in the final :50.

After opening up a 76-71 lead with 2:22 to play in regulation, Skyline allowed the Cougars to catch them, 76-76, on a basket by Charles Webb. The guard stole the ball at midcout and made a 10-foot jump shot to tie the score with 54 seconds left.

The Cougars (27-4) have won 14 in a row and will play Sacramento City College, a 91-89 winner over Pasadena City College Thursday night, in the first semifinal game at 6:30 tonight. Skyline finished at 24-7 is eliminated.

Alexander was the high-scorer for both teams with 26.

Santa Barbara City 62, Contra Costa 46--The Vaqueros made 15 of 16 free-throw attempts in the last five minutes to prevent any comeback effort by the Comets. Guard Reynold Baly scored a team-high 16 points and teammate Kevin Stevenson scored 12 points, had 5 rebounds and was 6 of 6 from the free-throw line for Santa Barbara.

The Comets shot only 38% from the field and Patrick Clardy, who was averaging 22 points a game, was held to 14 points. Darrin Van Buren added 11 for the Comets. Contra Costa finished at 28-7.