Two McChickens, a McDouble, a Gatorade and alternate route to the game: the perfect recipe for 16 points and eight rebounds.
Well, it worked for sophomore forward Jamal Watson in the 72-53 debacle of Pasadena City College Friday, Jan. 15.
“It was a breakout game and I’m praying that he does it every night,” head coach Russ May said with a big grin.
May could soon have an answer to his prayers, as the team will travel to East LA Wednesday, Jan. 20.
Watson insisted that nothing was different in routine today aside from the team having to drive to the game separately due to the team bus breaking down.
For a team who has two players listed as over six feet-eight inches tall, it typically doesn’t go to the post offense in the half-court set often.
“I feel like the inside [play] opens up the outside. It allows the outside to get more open,” Watson said.
“It makes it easier on the guards,” Watson added.
Nevertheless, Watson doesn’t feel like the change in offensive approach surprised Pasadena City.
“I don’t think it caught them off guard, I think we just came at them with different looks,” Watson explained.
Sophomore guard Jonathan Brown was a big reason for the breakout performance from Watson.
“I just pick my spots, see what the defense does and from there I just make a read and make a play,” Brown said.
Despite multiple games in which Brown has struggled, coach May has never lost confidence in Brown’s ability.
“In transition Jon [Jonathan Brown] is fantastic, he just has to put his mind to it. When he wants to play and play right he’s really good and we need that from him,” May said.
Brown finished with six points, six assists and a steal.
But Watson wasn’t the only person to benefit from the fluid offense. Four of the five starters scored in double figures. Including Watson’s fellow front-court mate Kyle Greer.
Greer soared through the air in the fourth quarter of the win with a thunderous one-hand slam along the baseline that sent the jovial Falcon bench into fanatic cheers.
Much like the last game freshman guard Brian Nebo waited until the second half to display his best work.
Nebo shot 1-4 from the field including 0-2 from three-point range all while scoring three points in the first 20 minutes of play.
Nebo surpassed his previous play wit 13 more points in the second half and drained three three-pointers.
“It’s all confidence. Just come into the game and don’t care whose watching or who’s in the crowd, just go out and play my game,” Nebo stated.
After the game many Falcon players agreed that this was possibly the most fun game of the season thus far.
