2019-20 Orange Empire Conference Men's Basketball News
This season's MVP award belongs to sophomore Antoine Jenkins, who led the conference in scoring with an outstanding average of 24.3 points per game (2nd in state). Jenkins played an integral role in helping the Hawks to a 26-2 regular-season record as the team prepares for their third consecutive playoff run.
The race for the Orange Empire Conference title is shaping up to be a good one with Santiago Canyon and Riverside City set to meet on Thursday, February 13th.
Freshman guard Keylin Vance has only started two games throughout his inaugural campaign. He averages just under eight points-per-game and sits around 13 minutes-per-game. On a night that Riverside faced off against the No. 20 Saddleback College Gauchos with potential playoff implications, it was Vance that carried the bulk of the load leading to a 65-55 victory.
It was a conference game between the best defense in the state (Fullerton) and the second best offense in the state (Santiago Canyon). By the latest California Community College Men's Basketball Coaches Association (CCCMBCA) poll, the Hornets are ranked No. 2 in the state, while the Hawks are ranked No. 3. San Francisco in the North is ranked No. 1 with the top overall offense. According to the latest Massey ratings, SCC is No. 2 and FC is No. 3 in state.
A new decade is upon us, and the Orange Empire Conference has four teams ranked in the state poll’s top 30. Two teams remain undefeated in No. 2 Fullerton (14-0) and No. 3 Santiago Canyon (15-0). Conference-play began earlier than usual this season (December 18th) so there are currently three teams with 3-0 records in Riverside and the aforementioned. There are also six teams in the conference with winning overall records as all of the teams enter 2020 ready to battle for the OEC title.