The Griffins' John Hughes is headed to Minn.-Crookston (East County Sports file photo)

By Bill Dickens
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CROOKSTON, Minn. (8-14-13) — Grossmont College’s JOHN HUGHES has signed a National Letter of Intent with the University of Minnesota-Crookston basketball team. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Tualatin, Ore., native averaged 7 ppg and 5.1 rpg and shot 34.5 percent from the 3-point line for the Griffins last season.

Hughes worked as a firefighter in Oregon prior to coming back to college at Grossmont. He was selected to the Vice President's list both terms academically at Grossmont. Hughes will enter UMC as a sophomore eligibility wise.

“John was a great leader on and off the court,” said Griffins basketball coach DOUG WEBER. “He was voted a team captain by his teammates, which is unusual for a first year player but well deserved. He earned a spot in the starting five and never relinquished it. As a starter he had to play out of position on offense and defense and never complained but relished the challenge. He led our team in charges taken and loose balls dived for.”

“John had over a 3.5 gpa both semesters and was a great teammate and ultimate competitor,” Weber added. “His leadership and basketball skills and IQ will be sorely missed.”

Crookston finished 4-23 a year ago.

"John is a very hard-working and physical player who is going to be a welcome addition to our program," said Golden Eagles head coach Jeff Oseth. "John is someone who is going to bring a lot of maturity to an otherwise youthful roster."

Hughes, who also played outside hitter for the Griffins men’s volleyball team, plans to major in business management at UMC.

By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (2-25-13) — Three Grossmont College basketball players were named to the All-Pacific Coast Athletic Conference team, including a pair of first teamers.

Freshmen guards TYSON KYGAR (El Capitan) and MARTIN MEZA (Eastlake) were selected to the eight-man first team, while freshman forward ROBERT ROMERO, a 6-foot-5 freshman from Cathedral City, was named to the second team.

Kygar led the Griffins in scoring with 15.5 point per game, free throw percent (78.6), 3-point percent (38.1) and steals (40) for the year. He was the only player in the conference that made more than 60 percent of his three-pointers and more than 85 free throws. He was also 2nd on the team in assists

Meza averaged a team-leading 5 assists per game and had an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3-1. He grabbed 5 rpg (most offensive rebounds on team) and scored 7 ppg while shooting 58 percent from the field.

Romero was the Griffins 2nd leading scorer at 13.3 ppg and leading rebounder at 5.6. He scored inside and out, shooting 49 percent from the field and hitting 37.7 percent from the 3-point line.

“We are incredibly proud of our whole team and the hard work they put into the season,” said Griffins coach DOUG WEBER. “After the rough start we could have folded but they became a closer group, they trusted each other more and put aside individual interests and focused each day about becoming better as a team.

“Interestingly enough, as that happened we started winning and the individual honors/recognition (players of the week) started coming,” Weber added. “The all-conference awards these three earned are well deserved but take place because we have a really good team of ten players that push and encourage each other daily in practice and games.”

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SAN DIEGO (2-23-13) — Grossmont College’s shot at winning a Pacific Coast Athletic Conference championship came up short as the visiting Griffins dropped their season finale, 66-56, Friday (Feb. 22) night at Miramar College.

The setback left the Griffins (11-13 overall, 9-3 PCAC) with a third-place finish in the nine-team conference, one game behind co-champions Palomar (20-9, 10-2) and MiraCosta (19-9, 10-2).

No other information was reported.

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EL CAJON (2-16-13) — Thirteen was the lucky number for the Grossmont College Griffins in Friday’s (Feb. 15) Pacific Coast Athletic Conference 62-48 victory over visiting Southwestern College.

By winning, the Griffins (9-2, 11-12 PCAC) remain tied with Palomar (9-2, 19-9 PCAC) for the conference lead with one game remaining for each squad. However, MiraCosta (7-2,16-9 PCAC) which hosts San Diego Mesa on Saturday (Feb. 16) has three games remaining. So the Spartans can’t be counted out of the race just yet.

Palomar closes the campaign against last-place Cuyamaca on Wednesday (Feb.20), and Grossmont concludes regular season play on Friday (Feb. 22) at Miramar at 7 p.m.

Free throwing has not been a Grossmont strength most of the season but the Griffins were a perfect 13-for-13 from the charity stripe against the Jaguars (2-8, 8-17 PCAC).

Freshman TYSON KYGAR was 10-for-10 from the foul line on his way to a 23 point finish. He also nailed 3 of 7 from beyond the arc, all in the second half. He also snared 7 rebounds.

“For Kygar to be a young freshman just out of high school, his knowledge and maturity in the game is unbelievable,” said Griffins assistant coach JOHN CLARK. “We have given him the green light all year.”

MARTIN MEZA finished with 10 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds.

“Our whole season changed when Meza returned from an injury in the first game,” noted Clark . “He’s our floor general. He had another solid game.”

ROBERT ROMERO chipped in with 15 points and 5 boards. He also had a pair of 3s in the second half.

Freshman MARK OGDEN came up with another strong effort off the bench to score 5 points and grab 6 rebounds.

“He’s just getting better and better,” said Clark.

By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com
SAN DIEGO (2-14-13) — Sophomore forward JOHN HUGHES of Grossmont College used to be a firefighter in Oregon. He performed that task for three years after his high school basketball career at Tualatin High School and a year at the University of Oregon.

“Those were crazy days. We worked 14-15 hours a day and got only two days off every two weeks,” said Hughes, now 27. “I’m not gonna kid you, it was tough work, but I loved the passion.”

His fervor has carried over to the basketball court this season. The 6-foot-5, 210 pound Hughes scored 15 points and grabbed 6 rebounds to help the Griffins knock off San Diego City College, 61-58, Wednesday (Feb. 13) to maintain their share of the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference lead with Palomar at 8-2.

The Griffins (10-12 overall) and Comets (18-9) have two games left while idle MiraCosta (16-9, 7-2 PCAC), which trails the co-leaders by just a half game, has three contests remaining in the regular season.

“This has been a crazy ride,” said Hughes, a business management major. “We came out and won only three of our first 12 games. (Assistant coach) JOHN CLARK pointed out that when he played at Grossmont in 1996, they had a similar start, and went on to win the conference.

“That energized me,” Hughes continued. “As the oldest guy on the team I try to tell our team to believe in themselves. And so far they have. I don’t try to be the boss or act like their father – I’m more like a big brother.”

ROBERT ROMERO paced the Griffins with 20 points and 6 rebounds in the latest victory over the Knights (14-14, 4-6 PCAC).

Sophomore point guard MARTIN MEZA, who missed the majority of the preseason due to injury, is coming on strong now which is why the Griffins are basking at the top.

Meza scored 9 points, dished 10 assists and held San Diego City ’s top scorer, Devyn Iglehart, to 5 points.

“Meza is one of those underrated guys that excel at the right spot at the right time,” said Hughes of his teammate. “He’s our floor general – one of those guys you want on your team – and he’s made a major difference in our run for the conference title.”

Grossmont closes the season with a home game on Friday (Feb. 15) against Southwestern at 5 p.m., and a road game at Miramar on Friday (Feb. 22) at 7 p.m.

“I thought I’d never play basketball again after high school,” concluded Hughes, who moved to San Diego where the majority of his family resides. “But it’s been a great experience and I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Perhaps a PCAC championship would suffice.

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SAN MARCOS (2-12-13) — Grossmont College basketball player MARTIN MEZA and MiraCosta College basketball player Lawrence Chamberlain are the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Male Athletes of the Week for the period ending Sunday (Feb. 10).

Meza, a 6-foot-0 freshman guard from Eastlake High, played a key role on Friday (Feb. 8) as the Griffins downed San Diego Mesa, 69-66, to move back into the tie for first place with MiraCosta and Palomar.

Meza went 6-for-10 shooting in the game (after going 5-for-8 in a 71-69 loss to Palomar on Wednesday). He played outstanding defense vs. Palomar's high-scoring point guard Dejuan Ervin on Wednesday and Mesa’s two guards, grabbed 11 rebounds from his point guard position in the two games, and had no turnovers against Mesa.

Meza has sparked the Griffins since returning from an early-season injury.

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EL CAJON (2-9-13) – It’s not all about which player has the most points in the boxscore. Grossmont College proved that in Friday’s (Feb. 8) Pacific Coast Athletic Conference 69-66 victory over visiting San Diego Mesa.

“I gotta give a lot of credit to MALEN BLACKMON and MARK OGDEN for their defensive play, doing things that aren’t reflected prominently in the stat books,” said Grossmont assistant coach JOHN CLARK.

Grossmont overcame a 9 point deficit to rebound from Wednesday’s loss to Palomar in San Marcos. By winning the Griffins (9-12) created a 3-way tie for the PCAC lead with MiraCosta and Palomar at 7-2. MiraCosta stunned the Comets 77-76 in double overtime to help bring about the deadlock. Each team has three games remaining in the regular season.

Point guard MARTIN MEZA might be the most valuable player for the Griffins. Not only is he a hard-nosed defender, he also scored 15 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and dished 5 assists against the Olympians (11-13, 4-5 PCAC).

TYSON KYGAR and ROBERT ROMERO pitched in 14 points apiece for Grossmont. Ogden added 7 points and 9 rebounds.

Grossmont will travel to San Diego City College on Wednesday (Feb. 13) for a 5 p.m. game against the Knights. They will then host Southwestern on Friday (Feb. 15) and close the campaign at Miramar on Friday (Feb. 22).

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SAN MARCOS (2-7-13) – On a night when 6-foot-5 JOHN HUGHES and 6-foot-7 MARK OGDEN both fouled out yet no one fouled out for host Palomar College, Grossmont College took a bigger Palomar team down to the wire on Wednesday (Feb. 6) in the teams’ battle for the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference lead.

The Comets, led by 7-foot-1, 285-pound center (Joe Vaz) who is battling for the state lead in both rebounds and blocks, finally turned back the Griffins, 71-69. Calvin Smith, fouled on a 3-point attempt from deep in the right corner with 3.9 seconds to play at The Dome, dropped in the second and third of his three free throw attempts.

Calling an immediate timeout and then rushing the ball down the court, Grossmont got off a last-gasp attempt driving the ball to the basket but missed the shot as time expired.

The two teams were tied for the conference lead, both with six-game winning streaks, entering their only meeting of the season in the PCAC’s unbalanced schedule.

The conference, which since it began play back in the 1982-83 season, has always played a double round-robin schedule, but went to the current format in order to give teams an opportunity to play an additional tournament in late December to possibly earn more power points for post-season play. The bottom line is that the Griffins have found themselves playing four teams, including East County rival Cuyamaca and Palomar, only once.

If the Griffins and Comets were to eventually tie for the championship, Palomar would have the tie-breaker. If Grossmont would have pulled out Wednesday game, the Griffs would own the tie-breaker in the event of a two-way tie between the two teams.

The Comets (17-8 on the season, 7-1 in the PCAC and ranked No. 14 in the state), overcame a 23-point performance by the Griffs’ TYSON KYGAR, who was the leading scorer on the floor, to move in to undisputed first-place by one game over Grossmont and MiraCosta, an 83-59 Wednesday win over Imperial Valley on Wednesday.

Palomar will visit MiraCosta on Friday (Feb. 8) and the Griffins (6-2 in conference) are now put in a position in which they have to root for the Spartans to pull off an upset. If that happens and Grossmont beats San Diego Mesa at home on Friday at 5 p.m., the Griffins will be back in a tie for first place.

Kygar went 13-for-16 from the free throw line on the way to his 23 points. He also contributed four field goals, including a pair of 3-pointers. He tallied nine of his points in the first half, after which the Griffins trailed 33-30.

Grossmont also received double-figure scoring efforts from TREVON ASH (11 points, 6 reb) and MARTIN MEZA (10 points, 5 assists). Hughes pulled down nine rebounds before fouling out with 41.6 seconds to play. Ash and Ogden, who fouled out with 1:19 remaining, each had six rebounds.

“Meza did a great job on (Dejuan) Ervin, holding probably the best guard in the conference to 7 points,” said Grossmont assistant coach JOHN CLARK. “I think Ervin averages like 19 points.”

Grossmont came back from the three-point halftime deficit to go ahead and the teams traded the lead back and forth until the end. The Griffs and Comets were tied 69-69 when Smith was fouled and went to the line.

Meza had tied the game at 69 on a bucket with 30 seconds left.

Vaz and Nate Coleman each had 16 points and 10 rebounds for Palomar.

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IMPERIAL (2-2-13) — Grossmont College assistant coach JOHN CLARK likes to think of it as déjà vu. The Griffins won their sixth straight Pacific Coast Athletic Conference game on Friday (Feb. 2), knocking off host Imperial Valley, 62-51, at DePaoli Sports Complex.

The triumph allowed Grossmont to maintain a share of the circuit lead with Palomar.

Palomar (16-8, 6-1 PCAC) smashed Southwestern, 76-51, matching Grossmont with its sixth conference win to set up next Wednesday’s (Feb. 6) showdown with the Griffins in San Marcos at The Dome at 5 p.m.

TYSON KYGAR scored 20 points to lead the Griffins (8-11 overall) in the desert.

ROBERT ROMERO added 19 points for Grossmont, which also got 10 from TREVON ASH.

Meanwhile, the Arabs had 20 turnovers as opposed to the Griffins’ four.

“It was nice to win this game,” said Griffins head coach DOUG WEBER. “We are so young we only have one kid that played for us last year. Our guys have gotten a little bit closer, starting to believe in themselves.”

According to Weber, “Palomar has a 7-foot-1 (285 pound) post (Joe Vaz) and a point guard (Dejuan Ervin) who could be the best in the league.”

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EL CAJON (1-31-13) — Grossmont College freshman guard TYSON KYGAR connected on 5 of 9 shots from long distance for a team best 21 points Wednesday (Jan. 30) as the Griffins defeated visiting MiraCosta College in a meeting of Pacific Coast Athletic Conference first-place teams.

The Griffins (7-11, 5-1 PCAC) came from behind to whip the Spartans 83-75, leaving Grossmont in a first place tie with Palomar (15-8, 5-1 PCAC).

One of the key ingredients for the Griffins, who trailed MiraCosta 37-32 at halftime, was the ball handling of point guard of MARTIN MEZA.

“All the things he does for us don’t show up in the statistics,” said Griffins assistant coach JOHN CLARK. “He’s a solid floor leader.”

Grossmont turned the ball over only six times and connected on 23 of 29 free throw attempts.

“Our guys fought for every single possession,” said Clark .

ROBERT ROMERO added 19 points, half of them coming on a trio of 3-pointers, and 7 rebounds.

Steele Canyon product MARK OGDEN continues to make a major impact in the Grossmont arsenal with 13 points and 6 rebounds.

TREVON ASH pitched in with 10 points.

Next up for the Griffins is a trip to the Imperial Valley when they take on the Arabs Friday (Feb. 1) at 5 p.m. They must not look past that game because looming on the horizon is Palomar, Wednesday (Feb. 6) in San Marcos, 5 p.m.

Grossmont College's Tyson Kygar (20) produced most of his 15 points in the second half, stretching the Griffins' lead from 2 to 14 points in topping Cuyamaca in Friday's PCAC contest. (Photo by Frank Price, youatplay.com) VIEW / PURCHASE ADDITIONAL PHOTOS HERE

The Battle For East County Grossmont vs. Cuyamaca PCAC Men's Basketball (Grossmont leads series, 17-12) Season    Round One   Round Two   1998-99 Gros 87-78 Gros 83-66 1999-00 Gros 74-61 Cuya 75-72 2000-01 Gros 92-80 Gros 66-57 2001-02 Gros 95-85 Gros 87-62 2002-03 *Cuya 91-67 *Cuya 77-72 2003-04 Cuya 54-51 Cuya 80-65 2004-05 Cuya 62-59 +Gros 83-79 2005-06 Cuya 67-58 Cuya 73-65 2006-07 Cuya 74-61 +Gros 66-63 2007-08 Cuya 81-69 Gros 88-80 2008-09 Gros 67-52 Gros 66-55 2009-10 Cuya 66-59 Cuya 52-49 2010-11 Cuya 76-69 Gros 73-68 2011-12 Gros 63-56 Gros 64-61 2012-13 Gros 69-61 — *Grossmont won by forfeit. +overtime.

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EL CAJON (1-26-13) — Grossmont College maintained its share of the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference lead Friday (Jan. 25) by knocking off visiting district rival Cuyamaca, 69-61.

The victory raised the Griffins record to 6-11 overall and left them tied with Palomar and MiraCosta at 4-1 in the PCAC race.

Grossmont hosts MiraCosta on Wednesday (Jan. 30) at 7 p.m.

In their only scheduled bout with the Coyotes (7-13, 1-4 PCAC) this season, the Griffins staggered to a 26-24 halftime lead.

“It was a really sluggish game,” said Grossmont assistant coach JOHN CLARK. “We picked up the pace a little bit in the second half and led by as many as 14 points.”

No thanks to the Griffins’ 19 of 31 free throw shooting.

ROBERT ROMERO paced the Griffins with 19 points and 9 rebounds. TYSON KYGAR hit 3 of 7 from long distance to finish with 15 points. TREVON ASH chipped in with 13 points, and MARK OGDEN notched 12 points and 7 rebounds for the winners.

Grossmont High graduate MIKE WNEK paced Cuyamaca with 17 points and Mount Miguel product HARRY BRAZELTON, who was smothered by Grossmont’s MARTIN MEZA, scored 10 of his 13 points in the final minutes.

The Griffins have now captured four straight ballgames in head-to-head meetings, taking a 17-12 all-time advantage over the Coyotes in the 15-year series.

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CHULA VISTA (1-19-13) — Despite a rocky preseason, the Grossmont College Griffins have dribbled their way into the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference lead.

Bolstered by a late comeback where the Griffins erased a 9-point deficit in the final three minutes Friday night (Jan. 18), Grossmont (5-11, 3-1 PCAC) stunned host Southwestern, 62-58.

TYSON KYGAR nailed a 3-pointer-and-one to launch the beginning of the Grossmont resurgence.

“That was the big momentum switch,” said Grossmont assistant coach JOHN CLARK. “It really turned things our way. We were down the whole game and Kygar’s shot turned it around.”

ROBERT ROMERO, who finished with a game high 23 points, took over from there. He scored 6 of Grossmont’s final 7 points, ignited by a steal and layup.

Kygar finished with 20 points, which included hitting 4 of 5 from long distance.

Grossmont draws a bye on Wednesday (Jan. 23) and hosts Cuyamaca on Friday (Jan. 25) at 5 p.m.

Grossmont College's Trevon Ash drains a mid-range jump shot to help the Griffins down Miramar. (Photo by Frank Price, youatplay.com) VIEW / PURCHASE ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (1-17-13) — ROBERT ROMERO landed 12 of 17 shots from the field on his way to a game-high 28 points as Grossmont out-maneuvered the Miramar Jets Wednesday (Jan. 16) to move into a three-way tie for second place in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference.

Six-foot-5 freshman Romero, a product of Palm Desert High in Cathedral City, also grabbed 7 rebounds.

TYSON KYGAR of El Capitan popped in 17 points, the majority coming on 5-for-9 three-point shooting.

MARTIN MEZA of Eastlake scored only 7 points but dished 12 assists and grabbed 6 rebounds for the Griffins (4-11, 2-1 PCAC).

TREVON ASH and Steele Canyon product MARK OGDEN scored 9 points apiece with Ogden also collecting 5 rebounds off the bench.

“This was our best win of the year,” said Griffins assistant coach JOHN CLARK.

Grossmont enjoyed one of its best shooting nights of the campaign, hitting 33 of 67 attempts for a 49.3 average. Even bigger than that though was the fact that the Griffins turned the ball over only five times all night.

“We defended it real well,” Clark said. “We were up by 19 points at one time.”

The Griffins, who led 38-29 at halftime, are tied with San Diego City and San Diego Mesa, one-half game behind front-running Southwestern (8-9, 2-0 PCAC).

Grossmont will have a shot at taking over the conference lead Friday night (Jan. 18) when the Griffins visit Southwestern at 5 p.m.

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KEARNY MESA (1-12-13) — Freshman TYSON KYGAR out of El Capitan High School drilled in a career-high 27 points Friday night (Jan. 11) to lead visiting Grossmont College to a come-from-behind 80-73 victory over San Diego Mesa in a Pacific Coast Athletic Conference contest.

Kygar totals included three 3-pointers in the second half.

“Kygar came through with some huge 3-pointers down the stretch,” said Griffins assistant coach JOHN CLARK. “He decided the game for us.”

JOHN HUGHES added 16 points and TREVON ASH contributed 12 for Grossmont (3-11), which balanced its conference record at 1-1.

“We fought the full 40 minutes just like we did in the first game against San Diego City ,” Clark said. “In the games we’ve lost this year, too many times we’ve had 5 to 7 minute letdowns. You can’t let that happen at this level. We didn’t do that in this game.”

Next up for the Griffins is a PCAC home game against the Miramar Jets on Wednesday (Jan. 16) at 7 p.m.

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EL CAJON (1-10-13) — Grossmont College rallied from a 15-point, second-half deficit and trailed by one with 15 seconds remaining in Wednesday’s (Jan. 9) Pacific Coast Athletic Conference opener against visiting San Diego City College.

TREVON ASH drained a three-pointer to cut the defending PCAC Knights advantage to 70-69. But SDCC countered with a pair of free throws to seal a 72-69 victory.

Grossmont fell to 2-11 overall.

ROBERT ROMERO paced the Griffins with 16 points and 9 rebounds. TYSON KYGAR nailed 15 points – 14 in the second half. Guard MARTIN MEZA chipped in with 10 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Grossmont resumes Pacific Coast Athletic Conference activity Friday (Jan. 11) at San Diego Mesa at 7 p.m. The Olympians opened PCAC play by thrashing host Cuyamaca, 93-53.

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SAN MARCOS (12-31-12) — Mount Miguel High product HARRY BRAZELTON has been named the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Men’s Athlete of the Week for the period ending Sunday (Dec. 30).

Brazelton, a 6-foot, 2-inch sophomore point guard, scored 61 points in three games at the 5th Annual Imperial Valley College Holiday Classic. That performance landed Brazelton on the all-tournament team.

Brazelton scored 17 points and had three assists in a 72-50 loss to Barstow in the first round of the tournament.

He came back the following day with 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists as Cuyamaca College downed Glendale (Ariz.), 93-83 in overtime, in the consolation semifinals.

In the consolation championship game, Brazelton tallied 23 points to help knock off Pasadena, 76-69.

Among the honorable mention honors for the week were awarded to Coyotes teammate KEKO MOORE (Hoover).

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KEARNY MESA (12-30-12) — Despite 17 points apiece from TREVON ASH and ROBERT ROMERO, Grossmont College was ousted from the San Diego Mesa College Holiday Inn-Mission Valley Tournament via a 71-58 loss to West Hills of Coalinga in Saturday’s (Dec. 29) consolation play.

West Hills led 38-32 at halftime and the Griffins (2-10) never got closer than five points thereafter.

Grossmont opens Pacific Coast Athletic Conference action hosting San Diego City on Wednesday (Jan. 9) at 5 p.m.

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KEARNY MESA (12-29-12) — Grossmont College overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to catch Glendale College in Friday night’s (Dec. 28) opening round of the San Diego Mesa College Holiday Inn–Mission Valley Tournament. But the Vaqueros never relinquished the lead as they edged the Griffins 73-71.

TYSON KYGAR netted three consecutive three-pointers to help the Griffins (2-9) tie the game 66-66 with 5:12 remaining.

MARTIN MEZA and ROBERT ROMERO paced the Griffins with 15 points apiece. Kygar totaled 14, while JOHN HUGHES chipped in with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Grossmont will face West Hills of Coalinga in Saturday’s (Dec. 29) consolation round at Mesa at 2:30 p.m.

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KEARNY MESA (12-28-12) — Grossmont College will return to the court Friday night (Dec. 28) in the opening round of the San Diego Mesa College Holiday Inn–Mission Valley Tournament, taking on Glendale College at 6:30 p.m. in the Olympians' gym.

The Griffins (2-8), who have been idle for 10 days, have won two of their last three games.

Others competing in the Mesa tourney include Santa Ana , West Hills, Victor Valley , Cypress , East Los Angeles and host Mesa . First round games are scheduled at 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.

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COMPTON (12-20-12) — Grossmont College fumbled away a 10-point halftime lead on Wednesday (Dec. 19) as the visiting Griffins tumbled to El Camino-Compton Center, 84-79.

Grossmont (2-8) built a 43-33 halftime lead, but stumbled out of the gate to begin the second half and gradually fell behind, snapping a 2-game winning streak

“I don’t know what it is about the start of the second half but we’ve had trouble all year with that part of the game,” said Griffins assistant coach JOHN CLARK. “If we would have played the whole game like we did in the first half tonight we would have come away with a victory.”

Grossmont used a balanced attack where five Griffins reached double scoring digits led by TYSON KYGAR’s 17 points. The majority of the freshman guard’s points came on 4 three-pointers.

JOHN HUGHES led the Griffins’ supporting cast with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while MARK OGDEN pitched in a dozen points. DANIEL WIGINTON and TREVON ASH collected 10 points apiece in the losing effort.

“Actually we’re playing much better, clicking at the right time,” said Clark .

Next up for the Griffins is the Mesa Tournament on Friday (December 28).

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SANTA MONICA (12-9-12) – Grossmont College seems to be building momentum. Well, at least the Griffins won their second straight game in Saturday’s (Dec. 8) final day of the Santa Monica Classic as they whipped the host Santa Monica Corsairs, 87-73.

ROBERT ROMERO set the pace for Grossmont (2-7) with 27 points and 11 rebounds. The 6-foot-5 product of Cathedral City ’s Palm Desert High, was 4-for-4 from beyond the arc and netted 10 of 13 free throws.

TYSON KYGAR tossed in 19 points, including a trio of treys, while TREVON ASH knocked down 16 points and gobbled up 7 rebounds.

Grossmont led by as much as 23 points.

“We were getting stops and then converting at the other end,” Grossmont assistant coach JOHN CLARK said. “We haven’t been doing that much this year. It was good to see.”

The Griffins made 9 of 18 three-point shots.

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SANTA MONICA (12-8-12) – Grossmont College finally crashed into the win column Friday (Dec. 7) by knocking off Los Angeles Harbor, 52-48, in the first round of the two-day Santa Monica City College Classic.

The win snapped a season-long, 7-game losing streak for Grossmont, which faces host Santa Monica Saturday (Dec. 8) at 1 p.m.

“We finally got the monkey off our back,” said Grossmont College assistant coach JOHN CLARK. “

TREVON ASH turned in a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds to pace the Griffins.

ROBERT ROMERO added 16 points, including 5 of 9 shooting. He also yanked down seven rebounds.

Grossmont took the lead for keeps 50-48 when MARTIN MEZA sank both ends of a 1-and-1. The Griffins were 13 of 17 from the charity stripe.

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EL CAJON (12-2-12) — ROBERT ROMERO rolled off a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds in Saturday’s (Dec. 1) consolation round of the 41st annual Grossmont College Tournament.

TYSON KYGAR chalked up 15 points, including three treys, and SABET ABIEL added 13 points, four rebounds and four assists for the Griffins, who were eliminated from their own tournament by College of the Desert, 80-65.

TREVON ASH also reached double scoring digits with 12 points. He nailed a pair of three-balls and collected five rebounds for Grossmont, which begins play in the Santa Monica Classic against the host team on Friday (Dec. 7) at 7 p.m. The tourney concludes on Saturday (Dec. 8) when the Griffins face Los Angeles Harbor College at Santa Monica at 3 p.m.

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EL CAJON (11-30-12) — Scoring woes continued to dog the Grossmont College men’s basketball team in Friday’s (Nov. 30) opening round game of the 41st annual Grossmont College Basketball Tournament against Cerritos.

After building a 33-28 halftime lead, the Griffins offense stalled and Cerritos cruised to a 70-50 victory. It was Grossmont’s sixth loss in as many starts.

TYSON KYGAR and SABET ABIEL shared high point honors for Grossmont with 10 apiece. TREVON ASH chipped in with nine markers.

Grossmont will host College of the Desert Saturday (Dec. 1) in a tournament elimination game at 4 p.m.

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EL CAJON (11-30-12) — Grossmont College will host the 41st annual Grossmont College Basketball Tournament, running Friday through Sunday (Nov. 30-Dec. 2.).

The Griffins, seeking their first win after five losses on the road, open against Cerritos on Friday (Nov. 30) at 6 p.m. This will mark Grossmont’s home opener.

In other games in the eight-team, three-day event, Southwestern faces Cypress at 2 p.m., Imperial Valley tackles Los Angeles Southwest at 4 p.m., and College of the Desert meets Cuesta of San Luis Obispo in the evening finale at 8 p.m.

The semifinals will be played on Saturday (Dec. 1) beginning at 2 p.m. The championship contest will be held at 5 p.m. on Sunday (Dec. 2).

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SAN DIEGO (11-18-12) — Grossmont College gets two weeks to prepare for its next round of competition after being eliminated from the San Diego City College Tournament Saturday (Nov. 17) by Citrus, 92-62.

Playing five consecutive state powers has left the Griffins with an 0-5 record. Grossmont is permitting 86.6 points per game, while averaging 65.4 markers per outing.

TREVON ASH paced Grossmont with 17 points, including 7-for-7 from the free throw line. TYSON KYGAR chipped in with 16 points, including 4-for-10 from beyond the arc.

Next up is the 41st annual Grossmont College Basketball Tournament (Nov. 30-Dec. 2.). The Griffins open the tourney against Cerritos on Friday (Nov. 30) at 6 p.m. This will mark Grossmont’s home opener.

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SAN DIEGO (11-17-12) — The non-conference schedule isn’t getting any easier for the Grossmont College Griffins. They suffered their fourth loss in as many starts Friday (Nov. 16) in the first round of the annual San Diego City College Tournament, falling to College of the Sequoias, 80-58.

“We’ve played four very good teams, and this one was the best,” said Grossmont assistant coach JOHN CLARK.

The Giants out of Visalia displayed numbers to prove their power, hitting 55 percent from the field and claiming a 41-18 rebounding edge over the Griffins.

Freshman sharp-shooter TYSON KYGAR led Grossmont with 19 points, hitting 4 of 8 from long distance.

The Griffins take on Citrus Saturday (Nov. 17) in the second round of the SDCC Tournament at 3 p.m,

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TORRANCE (11-15-12) — A sluggish second half in Wednesday’s (Nov. 14) non-conference game at El Camino led to an 85-68 lopsided loss for the Grossmont College Griffins against the host Warriors.

It was the third straight loss for Grossmont (0-3), which trailed only 40-36 at halftime.

ROBERT FARR paced Grossmont with 17 points, hitting 7 of 11 shots including a pair of threes. TREVON ASH cashed in 14 points and bagged four boards, while TYSON KYGAR pitched in 9 points and snared 4 rebounds.

Grossmont opens play in the San Diego City College Tournament Friday (Nov. 16) against College of the Sequoias at 3 p.m.

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PALM DESERT (11-10-12/Revised) — Grossmont College made an early exit from the rugged College of the Desert-Holiday Express Tournament Friday (No. 9) when the Griffins fell to the Vaqueros of Glendale (Ariz.), 95-89.

“Practices have been competitive and productive in getting the right chemistry,” said Grossmont coach DOUG WEBER. “This past weekend we played like a group of first-timers, wide eyed and a little tentative. The first game we were outmatched from experience and physicality but learned from the first game and played much better the second game.

“We trusted each other and played for each other, and even though the results were the same we gained some valuable experience and should be ready for a (non-conference) game on Wednesday (Nov. 14) at El Camino College (which just upset powerhouse Citrus) and the San Diego City tournament the weekend of Nov. 16-18.”

Versus Glendale TYSON KYGAR form El Capitan poured in 25 points, hitting five 3-pointers and making 3 steals. He was joined in double figures by three other Griffins. SABET ABIEL (Hoover HS) contributed 16 points, hit three 3-pointers and grabbed 4 rebounds. Starting point guard JESSE VARGAS (Santana) led the team with 4 assists.

Grossmont was up 52-49 at the half, tied at 77 with 4:00 to play and down 1 with 1:35 to play. Glendale College made their final 16 free throws to thwart any comeback for the Griffins.

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PALM DESERT (11-9-12) — It was a rocky beginning for the Grossmont College Griffins Thursday (Nov. 8) as they opened the season with a crushing 81-50 loss to Mt. San Jacinto in the opening round of the College of the Desert Tournament.

The Griffins trailed only 41-31 at halftime, before the Eagles flew away in the final 20 minutes.

ROBERT ROMERO paced Grossmont with 12 points and three rebounds, while ROBERT FARR added 10 points and four rebounds. JOHN HUGHES topped the club with 6 rebounds. Point guard MARTIN MEZA dished five assists before leaving the game with a rolled ankle.

Grossmont faces Glendale (Ariz.) in a consolation game Friday (Nov. 9) at 1 p.m.

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PALM DESERT (11-08-12) — Grossmont College opens the season Thursday (Nov. 8) in the first round of the College of the Desert Tournament against Mt. San Jacinto at 1 p.m.

The Griffins, who finished (13-11) a year ago, return standouts TREVON ASH, and JESSE VARGAS. TYSON KYGAR (El Capitan) and MARK OGDEN (Steele Canyon) also join the Griffins.