“Coach is our everything,” Sophomore Guard Micah Winn said, following the Falcon’s 67-60 win over LA Harbor on Friday night.

Emotions were running high for Head Coach Russ May whose father has been ill.

Cerritos will try to ride these emotions into the next game on Feb. 11 as they visit LA Southwest.

Following the game May said that this game meant a lot for him as well as his father and he’s glad the guys were able to pull through for him.

The outcome wasn’t always so clear for the Falcons going into halftime trailing 29-32.

The first four points of the second half was scored by sophomore forward Josh Bell.

“I had to come out aggressive because I knew I didn’t score the first half, it just wasn’t going my way the first half,” Bell confessed.

Bell finished with eight points and nine rebounds.

“We wanted to utilize our post players in the high post to make plays tonight whether it was Josh making baskets or passing or whether it was Jeff (Gonzalez) up top we wanted them to touch the ball,” May explained.

Gonzalez also had a strong outing finishing one point shy of a double-double.

Defense sealed the win for the Falcons on this particular night.

Three big charges were taken at pivotal moments in the second half; two by sophomore Taylor Douglas and one by Bell.

“I know its a game changer, coach tells me that all the time. Especially, at that moment in time I know it just took the air out of them,” Bell claimed.

Douglas also chimed in on his timely positioning.

“I’m just trying to help the team win, I’m doing what I have to do to get the W,” Douglas added.

“They embarrassed us the first time around at their place and I think our guys wanted to get a little bit of revenge,” said May.

May added, “That’s what the good teams have to do, take charges, get loose balls it’s not always about buckets it’s the little things.”

It wasn’t just defense from Cerritos that got them the win.

It was team play and communication from everybody involved. Led by freshman guard Jonathan Brown.

“We were all playing together, I can play with anybody on the court honestly,” Brown proclaimed.

Brown maintained his composure during the final minutes of the game converting an and-one and knocking down a big three to seal LA Harbor’s fate.

“I can give all my thanks to Coach May, the coaching staff, and my teammates for that [his confidence], everybody wants me to be confident and shoot the ball, they know I can do it its just up to me to do it,” Brown added.

Brown finished with 13 points, four rebounds, and three assists.

Freshman Forward Earl Morgan also got in on the action scoring all of his five points in the second half. While five points may not sound like a lot it was when the baskets came that were important.

“Earl didn’t play much in the first half, anytime a guy comes off the bench and makes some really big plays for us even though he hit a big three, he also took a bad shot so I have to hug him and kick him in the rear at the same time,” May said.

He added, “I’m just glad he stepped up to the challenge when we needed him.”

“I think as a freshmen it’s very encouraging because normally you don’t have that much lee-way with sophomores on the team, it just boosts my confidence knowing I can make mistakes but they’ll work with me,” Morgan said.

Much like the many major sporting teams say that their teammates aren’t just teammates, they’re family and this year’s Cerritos Falcons are no different.

“Coach May is like a father to all of us so when we see coach down we know we have to dig even deeper and play even harder for him so that he can go back and tell his dad that we go the W for him,” said Winn.