Butte College Men’s Basketball Dominates with 20-0 Run in Opener

The Butte College men’s basketball team secured a convincing victory in their Golden Valley Conference opener, defeating American River College 83-60 at Cowan Gym on March 10, 2025. The Roadrunners showcased their emerging teamwork and resilience, highlighted by a remarkable 20-0 scoring run late in the first half.

Head coach Jack Martin emphasized the importance of defensive strategy in his team’s success. Initially, players struggled with maintaining defensive positions, often reaching for steals instead of effectively guarding American River College’s (ARC) scorers. As the game progressed, the Roadrunners began to find their rhythm on both ends of the court, leading to the impressive scoring streak.

In the early stages of the game, the teams exchanged leads, with ARC holding a narrow 18-15 advantage after a layup from Miles Macayan. However, Butte quickly shifted momentum. A layup by Kev Farrington followed by a three-pointer from Angus Lourey propelled the Roadrunners ahead 20-18, a lead they would maintain for the duration of the match.

The scoring surge continued with Farrington converting two free throws and then stealing the ball, assisting De’Nage Kelly for a layup that extended the lead to 24-18. Butte’s offensive unit found their groove, culminating in a series of three-pointers that capped the 20-0 run, bringing the score to 35-18. ARC’s Brent Gill managed to halt the scoring drought with a mid-range shot, but Butte quickly responded with another three-pointer from Jason Raga to push the lead to 38-20.

According to Coach Martin, the key to their success lies in team dynamics. “Teams can’t load up on one or two guys. As long as we share the ball, play downhill, and keep our turnovers down, we’re hard to guard and a dangerous team,” he stated.

The Roadrunners displayed impressive depth in scoring, with three players reaching double figures. Jah Van led the scoring with 24 points, complemented by three rebounds and three assists. Both Raga and Kelly contributed 14 and 10 points, respectively, while Lourey and Farrington each recorded eight points and seven rebounds. Lourey also led the team with four assists, while Farrington added two steals and three assists.

Defensive efforts were spearheaded by Tykeymo Harrison, who came off the bench to collect eight rebounds and four steals. The team collectively achieved 12 steals while limiting themselves to just eight turnovers. Raga was honored with the defensive player of the game award for his effective guarding of ARC’s leading scorer, Vincent Gonzales, who was held to only eight points.

In the second half, Butte continued to build on their lead with another scoring burst, this time an 11-0 run that established their largest lead of the game at 64-39 with 11:10 remaining.

Winning their first conference game at home and only their second home game overall was a significant achievement for the Roadrunners. Coach Martin reiterated the importance of defending home court, stating, “We don’t get a ton of home games, so when you do get a home game you have to defend it.”

With this victory, Butte College improves to a record of 7-6 overall and 1-0 in conference play. The team has now won five of their last six games and six of their last eight, signaling a promising start to the season as they look to build on this momentum.