On Jan. 6 Coach Mitch Charlens etched his name into the history books by joining the century club with a victory against the Imperial Valley Arabs.
San Diego City College men’s basketball team won the game 75-71.
In the last few minutes of the game Imperial Valley would reply to City’s scoring with a volley of three pointers, but not enough to overcome the deficit.
In Roman lore, a centurion was a commander of a 100 warriors. Coach Charlens, has commanded many warriors in his time and now tasted the sweetness of 100 arduous battles won.
During the Christmas break San Diego City College men’s basketball team were bringing the thunder. The victory against Imperial Valley would be the start of four victories in a row.
The prospect of losing must have driven City’s leading point scorer number 10, Guard Steven Aldrige.
City headed into the change rooms down 36-31, but Aldridge drove up the score with an impressive total of 30 points, 22 of which came in the second half. The 5-10 foot freshmen out of El Camino High School in Oceanside displayed a talent for shooting.
Aldridge said, “we were just playing and we won, that’s all that really matters.”
When pressed on his scoring ability Aldridge replied ” Things went my way. I was satisfied but more satisfied that we won.” He ended by announcing emphatically as to how much he hates losing.
Aldrige, although small in stature, was no push over and, on several occasions, took his stand at the free throw line after been smothered and bullied.
He would go on to shoot 14 of 15 along with seven rebounds while refusing to be dominated by the Arabs.
The Arabs would come back and even the score with a powerful display by Cliff Harrell who had 25 for the game. City’s Travis Wilson who racked up 10 points, with Dunnell Webb Jr. adding a tidy sum of 17.
The Knight’s season has been tumultuous with 12 of their games either being won or lost with a difference of only five points.
Coach Charlens reflected on his 100th win after the game and said, “It made me think of all the great players I have had over the past seasons. I did not think about it. One of my players congratulated me on my 100th win, until then I had forgotten about it.”
Coach Charlens first victory was against Mendocino College in the 2004-2005 season at the Sierra College tournament, and all his 100 victories at City College have been enjoyed.
