Basketball: Vikings cruise to 89-67 non-conference win at Santa Ana

Freshman forward Robert Mandingo posted a double-double with a game-high 18 points and 16 rebounds to help lead the Long Beach City College men's basketball team to a 89-67 non-conference win at Santa Ana College on Thursday.

LBCC (3-3 overall) jumped out to a 4-0 lead early in the first half, before Santa Ana scored five straight points, capped by a Jacob Cheek three-pointer to take their only lead of the game at 5-4.
                   
The Vikings answered with a three of their own, by freshman Devonte Norton, to retake the lead at 7-5 with less than three minutes into the game. They wouldn't relinquish the lead for the remainder of the contest.

Long Beach held leads as large as 17 points in the first half, including a 42-25 lead at the half, before pulling away in the second. The Dons cut LBCC's lead to 13 points with 5:40 left in the game, but the Vikings answered with an 11-0 run over the next two minutes, sparked by six points from sophomore Stephan Heard.

Four of the Vikings' five starters scored in double digits. Heard and freshman forward Jared Garber both scored 16 points while Norton added 11 points. Mandigo also posted five assists, five steals, and a block to go with his 18 points and 16 rebounds.

David Schwartz scored 13 points and Tyler Copper posted 12 points to lead Santa Ana (2-6 overall).

Long Beach returns to action next Friday (Dec. 10) when it opens the home schedule with a 5 p.m. non-conference game against Imperial Valley College at the Hall of Champions Gym.