Sophomore Chris Spencer (Jordan HS) scored a season-high 26 points to help lead the Long Beach City College men's basketball team to a 76-72 South Coast Conference win over the visiting Los Angeles Trade-Tech College Beavers on Wednesday at the LBCC Hall of Champions Gym.
The Vikings have won eight of their last nine games and are now 11-4 overall and 1-0 in conference play.
Spencer had one of his best shooting games of the season, making 12 of 18 attempts from the field. He added four rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block in the win.
Long Beach led 38-28 at halftime but had to hold off a late LA Trade-Tech rally.
The Beavers got within one point at 64-63 with 3:32 left in the game, but sophomore Elijah Gaines (San Pedro HS) nailed a pair of clutch three-pointers to keep LBCC ahead 70-65 at the 1:55 mark. The Vikings sank four of six free throws over the final minute to secure win.
Freshman Michael Shivers (Hannibal, MO) came off the bench to score 16 points. He was 4 of 5 from the field, including 2 of 3 from three-point range, as well as 6 of 7 from the free throw line. Sophomore Brandon Staton (Poly HS) also added 13 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
Ashwell Boyd led LA Trade-Tech (3-12, 0-1 SCC) with 23 points.
Long Beach returns to action on Friday (Jan. 9) when the Vikings host El Camino College in a 7 p.m. SCC game.
