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In what has been a forgettable season for PCC’s men’s basketball program, 6’2″ sophomore guard Harold Cleveland gave fans something to watch this year.Cleveland, from John Muir High in Pasadena, carried the Lancers through a rough 4-23 season by leading the state in scoring. Along with the state scoring title, Cleveland’s 25.6 points per game this season is PCC’s highest single season scoring average in the school’s history.

Cleveland and the Lancers went out with a bang, running over L.A. Trade Tech 105-83 in their final game of the season.

At the time, Trade Tech was the top ranked team in California and carried an unblemished conference record, as well as an 11 game winning streak.

“We caught them by surprise,” Head Coach Michael Swanegan said, “I expected us to play well, but playing well hasn’t always equaled wins this season.”

The Lancers were up 46-42 at halftime, but ran away with the game in the second half, outscoring the Beavers by 18.

In the win, Cleveland put up 31 points to finish with 1,005 for his career. When he scored the thousandth point, with just under 12 minutes to go, many fans stood up and applauded his accomplishment.

“A lot of people were happy for me,” Cleveland said, “it felt good and was a little emotional.”

“It couldn’t have happened to a better person,” Swanegan said of Cleveland’s accomplishment.

Along with his prolific scoring this year, he also averaged 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals a game. His most impressive stats may have been his shooting percentage, connecting on 43.8 percent of his shots from the floor and 36.4 percent from 3-point range.

Before taking the 2006-2007 season off to refocus on academics and transfer requirements, he scored an average of 9.8 points (good for fourth on the team), playing under now Assistant Athletic Director Mike Jones, in the 2005-2006 season.

“My first year was basically just learning the concepts of playing basketball, being able to defend and make smarter decisions,” Cleveland said, “I was able to play late in the season, I learned a lot.”

The time off ended up showing great dividends, as Cleveland scored a school record 48 points in the Lancers opening game of the season against San Jose College.

At that point Cleveland jumped on to every opposing team’s radar.

“He had a really good year because everyone knew if you could stop him, you could stop Pasadena,” Swanegan said, “We knew we were going to need his scoring.”

Even with the spotlight and sometimes multiple defenders on him, Cleveland led the Lancers in scoring in all but four of their games.

But even though he shouldered over 34 percent of the offensive output this season, his successes were not entirely expected.

“I wasn’t expecting to score 25 a game or lead the state,” Cleveland said. “I just wanted to become a complete ballplayer and to have a successful season.”

With the exposure came potential offers to play at the next level, from NAIA to Division I schools. The schools that have expressed interest in Cleveland are: Chaminade (Hawaii), Xavier (Louisiana), Cal Baptist, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Maine and Fresno State. He has already received “full ride” scholarship offers from Cal Baptist and Xavier. Although he may have the opportunity to play at college basketball’s highest level at Division I schools in Maine and Fresno State, he is more concerned with getting his education, even if it means playing at NAIA schools Cal Baptist and Xavier.

“Right now it doesn’t really matter what school I go to, I’m mostly concerned with getting my education paid for,” Cleveland said. “I have to be a student before I’m an athlete.”

Even with the individual accomplishments of Cleveland, he and Swanegan wish things could have worked out better in the win column.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t happy that the season was over,” Swanegan said. “But the recruiting season began as of Saturday and believe me, we’ll be better next year.

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