COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS: GBEWONYO OUT FOR COC'S FINALE.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

VALENCIA - The College of the Canyons men's basketball team trails Santa Monica and Glendale, which are tied for second place in the Western State Conference Southern Division, by one game in the loss column.

But the Cougars, who had a bye Wednesday and conclude their regular season when they play host to Bakersfield at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, will be without their top player in their most crucial game of the season. COC is on the bubble for a playoff spot and needs a win to enhance its chances of making the postseason.

COC (11-18, 6-5) is coming off a 75-70 victory over Citrus College on Saturday, but that win proved costly. Nana Gbewonyo, the team's leading scorer and one of its top rebounders, and Ricardo Suazo, were both ejected after an altercation just before intermission.

Gbewonyo had 14 points and eight rebounds and, despite the ejection, was named the WSC Southern Division player of the week. He had 31 points and 13 rebounds in a 90-79 victory over West L.A. on Feb. 7.

Gbewonyo, a 6-foot-6 sophomore forward, is allowed to practice with the team this week and would be eligible to compete in the playoffs if the Cougars qualify. But without him in the lineup on Saturday, COC's postseason aspirations could be in jeopardy.

Suazo, a 6-5 freshman forward, will be especially missed because of his ability to defend in the low post.

``We just have to prepare to deal with it and play a very physical (Bakersfield) team,'' COC coach Howard Fisher said.

Fisher said he hasn't decided who will start in place of Gbewonyo, but Steven Brown, a 6-7 freshman forward, appears to be a likely candidate. Brown is coming off a career-high 18-point performance against Citrus on Saturday. He also had 10 rebounds. He had 14 points and eight rebounds against West L.A.

--Accomplishment: The women's team clinched its second consecutive WSC Southern Division title Saturday, as Rasheeda Gray scored 16 points to help lead the Cougars to a 104-48 victory over Citrus.

The Cougars have won the Southern Division title four of the last five seasons.

Every player who's played two full seasons for coach Greg Herrick, who took over in 1992, has been part of at least one conference championship team.

``That's the greatest thing I've done in nine years as a coach,'' Herrick said. ``I'm more proud of that than anything.''

The Cougars (24-6, 11-0) are looking to extend their WSC Southern Division winning streak to 24 games when they host Bakersfield at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. A victory over the Renegades would also be COC's 25th consecutive victory at home.

--Tough challenge: The COC women face a tough challenge in their final stretch leading to the playoffs: no challenge.

COC had a competitive opponent on Feb. 7, when it hosted West L.A. in a game the Cougars won 82-62. But Saturday night's game against Bakersfield College could be COC's only real test until Feb. 27-28, when the Cougars, who should get a first-round playoff bye, have their first postseason game.

COC had a bye Wednesday. It played Citrus last Saturday in a game that, for all intents and purposes, was a bye. The Cougars won 144-24.

``It's really hard to maintain our intensity level when we've been as successful as we've been,'' Herrick said.