Bobcats say “We Ready” for the playoffs

The Saddleback men's basketball team ended the regular season with an 84-72 win over Santa Ana College on Thursday night inside the gymnasium.  The Bobcats made 16 three-pointers in brushing back the Dons.

Saddleback made an emphatic statement on Thursday night.  The Bobcats left no doubt that they were ready for the playoffs, which begin next week.

Saddleback opened the game by making their first six three-pointers in racing to a 24-7 lead on Santa Ana with just over 12.5 minutes remaining.  The Bobcats would finish 10-of-14 for the half, including a 5-for-5 performance from Nick Bowden.  It all added up to a 48-27 lead at the intermission as Saddleback also enjoyed a 17-10 advantage in rebounds.

Saddleback expanded the lead to 26 in the first two minutes of the second half after making their first four shots from the field.  The Bobcats then settled in for a comfortable, double-digit win to finish the regular season at 18-10 overall and 10-6 in Orange Empire Conference (OEC) play. 

Bowden (pictured) finished with 20 points, making 6-of-7 shots from beyond the arc.  James Burries scored 20 points of his own, making 4-of-6 three-pointers.  Elijah Al-Debaran was 4-of-6 from long range to finish with 16 points.   In total, Saddleback was 16-of-30 from three-point range, which was just one three-pointer away from tying a program record.

Saddleback finishes the regular season in a three-way tie for second place in the OEC…..a conference that routinely gets 5-6 teams in the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Southern California Regional Playoffs.

Saddleback is expected to host a first round game on Wednesday.  The Bobcats are ranked No. 11 in the south in the Massey Ratings and No. 14 in the south in the California Community College Men's Basketball Coaches Association (CCCMBCA) Poll.  The playoff seeds are expected to be announced on Monday, with 24 teams making the playoffs in Southern California.

Keep it tuned to saddlebackbobcats.com for all the latest playoff news.  You can also search for the latest breaking news on Twitter at @GoSCBobcats or Instagram at @saddlebackbobcats