Box Score | ONTARIO, Calif. - The nets are still hanging in Ontario.
After capturing the program's first-ever CCAA Championships tournament title Saturday, the Broncos were asked to participate in a ceremonial cutting of the nets at Citizens Business Bank Arena.
The Cal Poly Pomona players and coaches politely declined for unspoken reasons. It's not hard to read between the lines - the Broncos are looking to save the scissors for another time.
The CPP men's basketball team, ranked fifth nationally and No. 2 in the West Region, has been picking up achievements in pairs.
Two top honors came earlier this week when
Mitchel Anderson and
Greg Kamansky were named the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Most Valuable Player and Coach of the Year respectively. And now, the Broncos have two titles - the regular season championship and the conference tournament banner.
Snapping Chico State's nine-game win streak with the 78-64 championship victory Saturday, CPP improves to 27-2 overall. To view video highlights of the Broncos' victory,
click here.
Now the Broncos will wait for Sunday's 7:30 p.m.
NCAA.com selection show that'll unveil the field for the NCAA Tournament, which CPP has qualified for with an automatic bid.
Anderson tallied his 12th career double-double performance Saturday, collecting 15 points and 12 rebounds to pick up CCAA Championships MVP honors. Joining him on the All-Tournament team were
Mohamed Fall and
Terrence Drisdom. Playing in his 10th and final CCAA Championships tournament game, Anderson now holds two new conference tournament records for career points and rebounds with totals of 122 and 53 respectively.
There was also an important team record broken Saturday. With a steal from Drisdom in the final minute of the game, the Broncos raised their season steals total to 263 to set a new school record. CPP's defense has been ranked No. 1 nationally since early January.
After the Wildcats scored the first basket of the game, the Broncos' offense found its rhythm under the leadership of Fall. The Senegal native tossed in a long jumper from the left side at the 17:55 mark and then dropped in a layup on the next possession as part of an old-school three-point play.
Broncos' sophomore
Bryce Brady tallied the next five points with stellar shooting before the Wildcats bounced back to pull even at 12-12 by knocking down four of their first eight three-point attempts.
With CPP in front 16-14, the team effort continued for the Broncos.
DeRonn Scott hit a fadeaway jumper on the right side and then on the opposite end of the floor,
Daniel Rodriguez picked up a steal and raced in for a fastbreak layup over 6-foot-7 Jordan Semple.
Barry Bell used his quickness to force a series of Chico turnovers, converting those chances on other end with layups and a 3-for-3 first-half effort for six points. The Broncos took a 37-23 lead into the break.
The margin widened to 18 after Drisdom dropped in four-straight points, capped off with a jumper at 15:33. The Wildcats continued with the three-point strategy and two treys from Rashad Parker brought the CPP advantage down to single digits, 60-51, with about eight minutes left.
Just as Chico seemed to gaining a bit of momentum, Scott went up for a jumper at the top of the key, drew the foul and suspended in the air just long enough to knock down the shot. He let out a yell and looked over at the most crowded section of Bronco fans, who jumped to their feet in applause.
The CPP lead stayed in double digits for the final seven minutes of the game, leaving no question as to the winner of Saturday's championship showdown. The Citizens Business Bank Arena rocked all night long, thanks to an enormous amount of Bronco fans in attendance.
For the third time this season, five Bronco players scored in double figures. Fall finished with 13 points and eight rebounds while Bell and Scott contributed 12 points apiece. Drisdom put together a solid all-around performance with 11 points, five assists and three steals despite getting into foul trouble early.
The 2012-13 Broncos are the first CCAA team to win the regular season title outright and the conference tournament in the same year since UC Riverside accomplished the feat in the 1993-94 season.
This year's CPP team is one victory away from matching the school record for most wins in a season, set by the 2009-10 squad. Before Saturday, the Broncos were 0-3 in conference tournament title games.
