ELAC News articles
Contact: Mario Villegas, Public Affairs 323-265-8662
March 3rd, 2007
Huskies End Season with Tough Win
Despite having only seven players suited up, East Los Angeles College
managed to muster a 75-68 victory over Pasadena City College as the
injury-marred season came to an end for the Huskies.
“This says a lot about this team,” ELAC Coach Rob Rivera said. “We went
there with only seven players, but they never quit.”
Bryan Casella scored a team-leading 20 points and grabbed six rebounds to
lead East L.A. and was also one of five Huskies to score in double figures.
Emilio Chavez scored 13 points and Greg Trejo and Cesar Gerardo each had 12.
Pierre Ysaguirre added 10 points.
With the victory, ELAC finished the season 8-18 overall and 2-8 in the
six-team North Division of the South Coast Conference to end up in fifth
place.
“It was kind of apropos that it came down to us having only seven players
that could suit up,” Rivera said. “It’s never right to make excuses because
every team has its ups and downs, but this was a really tough year for us
injury-wise.”
The Huskies lost three of their top players in the season’s first two weeks.
The team received another blow when promising freshman post player Rick
Westphaln suffered a season-ending knee injury. Westphaln averaged eight
points and seven rebounds in 10 games.
An injury also shortened guard Thadeus Twardak’s season and the flu kept
Benjamin Clyde from playing against Pasadena.
The visiting Huskies held a 36-35 lead at halftime and battled the Lancers
in a closely played game for most of the second half. Pasadena went up by a
point with five minutes left, but a short baseline jumper by Trejo gave the
Huskies a lead they never relinquished.
“Character is the most important thing we want to see in our players and
these players have character, and they showed it tonight,” Rivera said.
Chris Johnson scored a game-high 24 points to lead Pasadena (8-21, 1-9).