By Tony Gonsalez

Special to Chabot Athletics

The Chabot men's basketball team couldn't have asked for a better start to the 2019-20 season.

The Gladiators took a huge lead and held off Coast Conference-North rival College of San Mateo to take an 81-76 win in the championship game of the 53rd annual Gladiator Classic.

The clutch victory on Saturday night improves Chabot's record to 3-0. A year ago it took the Gladiators seven games to record their third victory, but this team looks special.

"The guys have worked really hard and it is showing on the court," Chabot second-year coach Keenan McMiller said. "Our slogan is to win the day each day."

Izayah Talmadge, who was selected as tournament MVP, was one of four Gladiators scoring in double figures and finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

"He is definitely a Division 1-caliber player and he is still getting better," McMiller said.

Kyle Brown and Tim Oldham also scored 14 points for Chabot, while Jabari Sweet had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

The Gladiators never trailed in the game, jumping out 10-2 before opening up a double-digit lead of 32-21 with six minutes left in the first half. The Bulldogs pulled within seven before Chabot closed out the half on a 13-4 run for a 45-29 lead.

The Gladiators extended the lead the 17 on a 3-pointer by Oldham half way thru the second half.

The 6-foot-8 Sweet added back-to-back buckets, including one an alley-oop from Ryan Parilla before a  Brown jumper gave the Gladiators their biggest lead at 70-50 with 7:54 remaining.

The Bulldogs (2-4) promptly went on an 18-4 run, cutting the deficit to six with two minutes left.

Desi Lopez had consecutive baskets before Jack Luong hit two free throws to cut the Gladiators' lead to a single point with 26.4 seconds left.

Akili Daniels hit one of two free throws before San Mateo's Daniel Benjamin missed a jumper in the lane and Talmadge was fouled with 10 seconds remaining. Talmadge split two throws and the Bulldogs missed a 3. Oldham then iced the game with two free throws.

The Gladiators win came after a grueling 118-113 double-overtime victory over Gavilan the day before.

"That game against Gavilan was a weird game, but we were able to pull it out," McMiller said. "The team did an incredible job to come right back tonight and get this victory."

Daniels, Oldham and Sweet were all named to the All-Tournament team along with Luong and Bobby Arenas of San Mateo.

The Gladiators travel to Salinas to take on Hartnell on Tuesday at 6 p.m.