Owls Stay Hot Against LA Valley for 16th Straight Win

No. 3 state-ranked Citrus College men's basketball picked up its 16th consecutive win with a 119–72 victory over Los Angeles Valley College on Saturday, Jan. 31. With the win, the Owls improved to 21–1 overall and remained atop the Western State Conference-South at 8–0.

Citrus shot 60 percent from the field (24-of-40) and 42.9 percent from 3-point range (9-of-21) in the first half, pouring in 67 points behind balanced scoring and efficient perimeter play. Rockwell Reynolds led with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including three 3-pointers, while Leo Ricketts added 13 points and Amiri Meadows and JJ Sanchez each scored eight. Dev Hamilton chipped in five points and a team-high five rebounds as the Owls forced 16 first-half turnovers to take a 67–28 lead into the break.

Citrus followed with a steadier second half, shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from 3 while going 9-of-11 at the line. Victorio provided a spark off the bench with 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting, including a 3-pointer, and Reynolds added eight more. Sanchez scored six points on a pair of 3s, while reserves Jake Winkelman and Nathan Kwon added six points apiece from beyond the arc as Citrus leaned on its depth, finishing the half with 19 rebounds and 13 assists.

Overall, the Owls overwhelmed LA Valley with 51.2 percent shooting from the field and 40.0 percent from 3, matching the Monarchs at 19-of-24 at the foul line. Citrus overcame a 44–42 rebounding deficit by forcing 27 turnovers against just nine of its own, converting those into 44 points. The Owls controlled the paint 46–30, added 11 fastbreak points and a 55–29 edge in bench scoring, and built a lead that swelled to 49 after trailing by as many as four early.

Reynolds finished with a game-high 22 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Ricketts added 15 points, three rebounds, six assists, one steal and two blocks, while Meadows had eight points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal. Sanchez totaled 14 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals, and Hamilton had five points, seven rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Off the bench, Victorio posted 14 points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block; Alek Sanchez had 11 points, five assists, one steal and one block; Brady Orr added five points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block; and Grayson Boustead chipped in nine points, one rebound, one assist, one steal and one block. Mikal Sims finished with two points, one rebound, one assist and three steals; Ian Salmon had two points, two rebounds, three assists and one block; and Kwon and Winkelman each scored six points on two made 3-pointers.

Up next, Citrus travels to Antelope Valley for its second conference matchup with the Marauders, whom the Owls defeated 103–80 on Jan. 10. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4.