Colley’s Double-Double Leads Hawks to OEC Tournament Win over Riverside

Sophomore guard Tony Colley played a pivotal role in the Santiago Canyon College men's basketball team's 62-51 victory over the Riverside City College Tigers in the Orange Empire Conference (OEC) Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday night. Colley scored 32 points, his second-highest total of the season, while also pulling down 12 rebounds to secure a double-double performance.

The Hawks, who are the second overall seed in the tournament, will advance in the winner's bracket to face third-seeded Cypress College on Wednesday night at 6 p.m. at home. Cypress defeated fifth-seeded Saddleback 67-64 in their quarterfinal matchup.

Colley recorded his 10th game of the season with 10+ rebounds and his 23rd double-digit scoring game. His performance accounted for over 51 percent of the team's total points. He shot 11-for-15 from the field, including six three-pointers.

The game started slow for the Hawks, who were held scoreless for the first eight minutes. Freshman Salim Semaan broke the drought with one free throws, and from there, the Hawks went on a 15-4 run to cut Riverside's lead to just two points. However, Riverside managed to extend their lead to seven points heading into halftime.

Coming out of the break, the Hawks quickly went on an 11-3 run to put Riverside on the defensive. A three-pointer from freshman Colin Weems at the 12:30 mark gave Santiago Canyon the lead, and they never looked back, securing the win.

Colley and Weems were the primary offensive forces for the Hawks in the second half, with Weems finishing the game with 11 points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one blocked shot. Sophomore Eli Arthurton added seven points off the bench, while freshman Efe Gucoglu contributed six points in a supporting role.