Cuyamaca sweeps, its first in 14 years

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: February 14, 2024

2023-24 COMMUNITY COLLEGE BASKETBALL / MEN’S & WOMEN’S

ECS staff report

FLETCHER HILLS — The goal of finishing with a .500 record may be gone, but Cuyamaca College did accomplish a feat that may have been just as important.

For the first time since the 2009-10 season, the Coyotes swept the season series from district rival Grossmont College, barely clinging to a 75-62 triumph at The G-House.

The Battle for East County

Grossmont vs. Cuyamaca
PCAC Men’s Basketball
(Grossmont leads series, 28-18)

Season	Round One	Round Two
1998-99	Gros 87-78	Gros 83-66
1999-00	Gros 74-61	Cuya 75-72
2200-01	Gros 92-80	Gros 66-57
2001-02	Gros 95-85	Gros 87-62
2002-03	*Cuya 91-67	*Cuya 77-72
2003-04	Cuya 54-51	Cuya 80-65
2004-05	Cuya 62-59	+Gros 83-79
2005-06	Cuya 67-58	Cuya 73-65
2006-07	Cuya 74-61	+Gros 66-63
2007-08	Cuya 81-69	Gros 88-80
2008-09	Gros 67-52	Gros 88-80
2009-10	Cuya 66-59	Cuya 52-49
2010-11	Cuya 76-69	Gros 73-68
2011-12	Gros 63-56	Gros 64-61
2012-13	Gros 69-61	—
2013-14	Gros 70-65	—
2014-15	Gros 59-46	—
2015-16	Gros 62-51	—
2016-17	Gros 84-72	Gros 84-65
2017-18	Gros 76-54	Gros 81-42
2018-19	Cuya 78-68	Gros 70-61
2019-20	Gros 65-46	Cuya 78-70
2020-21	No games	COVID-19
2021-22	Cuya 68-65	Gros 60-57
2022-23	Gros 85-82	Gros 100-65
2023-24	Cuya 67-61	Cuya 75-72

*Grossmont won by forfeit.
+overtime.

Although the late lead nearly slipped away.

With Cuyamaca leading 73-70, Sergio Franco sank a pair of foul shots with 14 seconds left for a 5-point lead.

However, Grossmont’s Diego Sanchez hit a 2-point basketball with 14 seconds to go, with the Griffins quickly calling a timeout.

Somehow, Grossmont got the ball back and tried a potential game-tying 3-point shot with seven ticks remaining.

The ball was gobbled up with an offensive rebound, but Grossmont failed to release another 3-pointer in time, giving the Coyotes the victory.

Jonathan Duley paced Cuyamaca (10-15 overall, 5-8 PCAC) with 21 points and 8 rebounds.

Xavier Rubio added 17 points, while Franso poured in 13.

For Grossmont (4-21, 2-12 PCAC), Tre Edmond led all scorers with 23 points, while posting six boards and three assists.

Meanwhile, Micah Odell and Brandon Tully both came off the bench to score 9 points each.

Cuyamaca’s previous winning season was a 13-12 overall record in the 2009-10 season. Before that, it was a 19-12 mark in 2006-07.

Despite the loss the Griffins did have something to celebrate as they celebrated sophomore night, recognizing Griffin basketballers playing two years for Coach Dough Weber: Omarion Bellamy, Tre Edmond, Amari Lefore, Tyrone Lester, Diego Sanchez, Tony Sanchez, Brandon Tully, Sebastian Vann, and Elijah Williams.

The Griffins will finish the season on the road, playing Mira Costa on February 16th and San Diego Mesa on the 23rd.

BOXSCORE

Women

Grossmont College 119, Southwestern 8

BOXSCORE

FLETCHER HILLS — In the greatest romp in school history, Grossmont College called down Southwestern College, 119-8 0h yes, only eight — in Wednesday’s (Feb. 13) PCAC game at Grossmont.

The final score of 119 to 8 does not reflect the story of this memorable women’s community college basketball game between the host Grossmont Griffins and the visiting Southwestern Jaguars, dominated by Grossmont College from the tip-off to the final buzzer.

If you don’t already know the story, Janet Eleazer and Louie Linzaga, Southwestern College’s basketball coaches, wisely recruited players from the Jaguar soccer team to save their injury-plagued basketball season instead of forfeiting their remaining 2024 games.

These Jaguar soccer players trained to never touch a ball with their hands take to the game of basketball with a childlike joy all in the gym rightfully admired and happily shared every time the Jaguars scored a bucket.

Katelyn Romo sank a two as did Alyssa Pulido. Rylie Ewert hit a three, and Isis Garcia swished a free throw. Each made-basket erupted in a wave of elation from the Jaguar soccer moms, dads, and fans in the stands as well as players and coaches on the Southwestern bench. The Griffin fans also joined in, rooting for the Jaguar players to score.

On the other side in dominating fashion, the Griffins’ Janea Wilson, predictably, led with 24 points and 10 rebounds.

Brielle Gefrom added 21 points from off the bench, Allira Martin had 20 points, while Pohai Basso had 19 as the ballclub fell one point short of the first “Quad 20” in school history.

Despite the score, the margin is not a conference mark.

Earlier in the season, 8th-ranked Palomar was forced to play the Jaguars, which refused to forfeit and registered a county-record 120-0 shutout win.

Grossmont’s first outing with SWC resulted in a 112-8 victory.