It’s over! Cuyamaca snaps 64-game skid

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: November 18, 2022

2022-23 COMMUNITY COLLEGE BASKETBALL

ECS staff report

CuyamacaCollege’s long losing streak started when the school used this logo (above). The new logo is below

DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO — The Cuyamaca College women’s basketball team ended an incredible 64-game losing streak, topping Santa Ana College, 57-47, in the second round of San Diego City College’s annual Knights Invitational. The event is held at Harry West Gym.

Santa Ana (2-3) held a double-digit lead at the half, but a huge second-half effort by the Coyotes (1-5) was the difference, including a school-record 29 points in the fourth period (ever since women’s college basketball switched from halves to quarters).

Trailing 26-16 at the break, Cuyamaca cut the lead in half through three quarters, 33-28, then erupted in the final 10 minutes.

NaMaya Sowunmi (Hoover) tallied 10 of her 13 points down the stretch, while Micyaah Flournoy (Monte Vista) posted 9 of her team-best 16 points to clinch the victory.

Glenn opened the scoring with a 4-point goal, but the Dons answered with seven straight points to control the first half.

Following the break, the defense of Cuyamaca held Santa Ana to just 2-for-15 shooting in the third period, then ignited its own offense to take the lead.

Included was a 10-0 string to open the fourth, capped by a go-ahead layin by Flournoy to take the lead, 36-35, with 7:16 remaining.

For the half, the Coyotes held Santa Ana to 8-for-35 shooting (22.9 %) from the floor.

Also scoring in double figures for the Coyotes were Tia Saunders (Steele Canyon) and Samonah Betts (Helix), each with 10 points.

Cuyamaca closes the tournament by meeting the host Knights on Saturday at 4 p.m.

Coincidently, San Diego City was the last team to fall to the Coyotes, which took a 74-72 overtime contest on January 10, 2009.

Over the years, Cuyamaca did not field teams, and tried to create a squad yet was denied due to a lack of interest days before the start of the season, plus the 2020-21 campaign was erased by COVID-19.

As far as the 64-game losing streak being (or not) a state record, it is known that the defunct program at Los Angeles City College held a comparable mark. Officials from the CCCAA are checking the archives.

HISTORY: On Feb. 10, 2009, when Cuyamaca last won a women’s basketball game:

Two satellites collide in space Both the U.S. satellite “Iridium 33” and the Russian “Kosmos 2251” were destroyed in the accident.

Men’s Basketball

From wire reports

Orange Coast 85, Cuyamaca 64

COSTA MESA — The undefeated Orange Coast College men’s basketball team improved to 3-0 with another bruising effort and an 85-64 non-conference win over visiting Cuyamaca College on Friday (Nov. 18) inside Peterson Gym.

Playing their usual helter-skelter, aggressive style,, the Pirates never gave the Coyotes (1-6) room to breathe on the floor as the OCC defense forced 35 Cuyamaca turnovers.

Coast nearly doubled the shot attempts on the Coyotes (90-47), so even with a rough shooting effort from 3-point range (4-for-30), the volume of made shots on the floor proved to be the difference.

Jydon Hall led Coast with 16 points and six assists, while Logen Howard added 13 points and six steals. Sam Hunter and Jaiden Greene each had 12 points, while Clifton Brown tossed in 10 points and grabbed a team-best 10 rebounds.

For the Coyotes, Anthony McManus led the way with 15 points, while Leo Lindemose added 10 off the bench.

El Camino 85, Grossmont 80

FLETCHER HILLS — The Grossmont Griffins continued to stay with many of the Southland’s better opponents, but still remain a touch short.

Facing El Camino College in the Griffins’ home opener on Friday (Nov. 18), the G-House stayed with the Warriors from Torrance throughout the contest, yet could never take the lead in the late going in an 85-80 non-conference loss at The G-House.

Tre Edmond and Brandon Tully both led the Griffins with 12 points in a balanced attack. An amazing 13 players among the 15 that dressed for the game contributed points on the scorebook.

For El Camino, three players reached double-figures led by a game-high 25 points by Gabe Hubbard.

The Warriors (4-1) once went more than three minutes without scoring in the first half, but a 7-0 run gave them a 44-41 halftime lead.

Grossmont (1-2) answered with an 8-0 run, but never moved in front despite several runs.

The Griffins return to action on Monday (Nov. 21), hosting Compton at 6 p.m.