Basketball: Blue Devils hand over victory

Ed Madec's approach certainly isn't conventional, but it's plenty effective.

The Fresno City College men's basketball coach's wholesale substitutions look more like a hockey line change than anything basketball related.

Rams players play 30-second to 1-minute shifts before a fresh five runs over to the scorer's table to replace them.

With the kind of pressure that Fresno

City applies defensively, and the way it attacks the basket offensively, the constant wave of fresh bodies takes its toll.

Merced College learned all about it on Wednesday evening.

With a seemingly never-ending bench, the Rams wore down the Blue Devils and cruised to a 97-63 victory.

The loss dropped MC to 1-3 in the Central Valley Conference and 4-13 overall.

"Fresno City almost beat us by 40 and they almost beat Columbia by 50. They're a very good basketball team," Merced College head coach Bill Russell said. "I was extremely happy with how hard the guys played from start to finish.

"It's just hard to compete with a team of that caliber when you turn the ball over like we did."

Merced College did a decent job of attacking the Fresno press early on.

Point guard John Lowe patiently picked his spots and freshman forward Fred King was rewarded with a number of easy baskets.

The Blue Devils failed to maintain their aggressiveness, however, and Fresno City took advantage.

Leading 27-15 10 minutes into the game, the Rams went on a 17-3 run.

FCC (5-0 CVC, 17-5) forced 20 first-half turnovers and 30 in the game. MC countered by creating 22 turnovers, but the difference was the Rams turned theirs into points.

Fresno City spread out the Blue Devils defensively and, time after time, drove to the basket for layups.

"I've never experienced anything like their pressure," said freshman guard Alonzo Sharpe, who finished with seven points. "It's hard to stay aggressive against them, because you get tired.

"I admit I didn't go as hard as I should have on every series and they made us pay."

Down 46-27 at the intermission, MC had a burst of energy to open the second half.

Logan Wiens provided five quick points, cutting the lead to 14. MC never got any closer.

Once the Blue Devils started cheating down to stop Fresno's dribble penetration, the Rams hit MC with a barrage of 3-pointers in the second half.

Former Golden Valley star Alex Fletcher had three of the Rams' eight second-half 3s to help break the game open.

Fletcher finished with 12 points and Fresno's Edward Willis led all scorers with 15.

King led the Blue Devils with 12 points. Tamar Moultrie added eight and Steven Diaz seven.