COMMUNITY COLLEGES : Rhoden Scores 38, Golden West Wins

Gerald Rhoden scored a career-high 38 points to help Golden West to a 97-79 victory over Mt. San Jacinto Wednesday in the first round of the Riverside men’s basketball tournament.

Rhoden, a sophomore forward, scored 23 points in the first half as Golden West (6-3) opened a 48-37 lead. He was 14 of 21 from the field and seven of seven on free-throw attempts in the game.

Mt. San Jacinto got as close as 68-64 before Golden West pulled away again. Rhoden and Tobie Priest had consecutive three-pointers to give the Rustlers an 85-71 lead with 5 minutes 58 seconds left.

Golden West plays Fullerton at 5 p.m. in a quarterfinal game.

In other tournament games:

Cypress 116, San Bernardino Valley 92--Matt Kenney scored 28 points, including six three-pointers, for Cypress (5-5), which scored a season-high in points. Jeff Cummins added 20 points and eight assists for Cypress, which led, 64-40, at the half.

Fullerton 73, Mt. San Antonio 69--Tamar Ross had 20 points for Fullerton (9-2), which trailed by as many as eight, 58-50, midway in the second half before coming back.