Monarchs outpace Lasers, 61-35

Cooper and Hodge lead high-tempo offense in one-sided affair

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December 28, 2018

Robert Hollar, Contributor


#21 Christian Hodge's one-armed dunk with 16 minutes remaining in Friday's contest between LA Valley College and Irvine Valley College was an emphatic stamp on the Monarch's dominant performance. LAVC never trailed in the match, winning easily 61-35.

Heading into Friday night, the Monarchs had lost 3 of their last four games.  

The Monarchs held the Lasers scoreless for the first five minutes of the game, jumping out to an early 12-0 lead. LAVC attacked the ball on defense, dictating Irvine Valley's ball movement. Meanwhile, they bombarded the rim offensively drawing four fouls in the first eight minutes. 

LAVC found success driving the ball from above the key, a tactic that opened the corners for occasional 3-pointers. #5 Micah T Cooper lead both teams with 11 points and 2 steals in the first half. The high-tempo attack he helped orchestrate gave LAVC a 32-15 lead at halftime. 

Both teams picked up where they left off in the second half. IVC's offense was characterized by flat-footed ball carriers scanning the floor in the face of a shutdown defense. LAVC attacked in transition and opened up the floor with one-touch passing. 

Cooper also continued his onslaught in the second. He finished with a game-high 21 points to go along with 2 assists, 2 steals, 5 rebounds, and a block. 

The Monarchs finish their non-conference season with three road games in early January. They open conference play in their next home game, Jan. 19 at 3 p.m. against Citrus College.