Ligon ends OCC career in style as Pirates edge Chargers
COSTA MESA -- For Will Ligon, a two-year career that featured several eye-popping performances, ended with a solid finish as he scored 31 points to lead the Orange Coast College men's basketball team to a 78-74 win over visiting Cypress on Sophomore Night inside the Peterson Gym.
Ligon went 10-of-24 from the field, 4-of-13 from 3-point range and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. He finished the season with 77 3-pointers (sixth-most in the state) and 510 points (fifth-best in the state).
In terms of school history, Ligon's 510 points were the 20th most by a Pirate in one season, while his 810 career points and 18th best among all OCC players.
In a much more underplayed, but equally important role, fellow sophomore Mikey Molina closed out his career with a team-best six assists and hit a clutch 3-pointer late in the second half to put OCC (9-19, 4-8 in Orange Empire Conference) ahead for good.
Freshman Darnell Banks came off of the bench and nearly pulled off a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing eight rebounds.
For the Chargers (9-18, 2-10), Andre Winn and Julius Von Hanzlick each had 17 points, while Montel Taylor added 15 points and 14 rebounds.
Both teams battled back and forth and finally, with Coast up 60-58 with just under eight minutes remaining, a crucial 8-0 run over the next 2:30 put the Pirates up 68-58.
A 3-pointer by Javon Taylor capped off a 16-9 Chargers' run and cut the deficit to just three at 77-74.
OCC missed a free-throw and the Chargers had one more possession to tie the game up with a 3-pointer, but Winn's attempt in the final seconds missed its mark and after Eric Stockstill pulled down the rebound and made one of his free-throw attempts, the game was over, ending the season on a high note for the Pirates.
