Cuyamaca off to best start in 15 years

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: November 11, 2024

Gene Victor Memorial Classic action / Courtesy, Mt. San Antonio College

2024-2
5 COMMUNITY COLLEGE NASLETBALL
Week of Nov. 3-9, 2024

ECS staff report

Men’s Basketball

RANCHO SAN DIEGO – Cuyamaca Collegve equaled a school record by einning threee straight ballgames to start a season, but the Coyotes aspirationsfor the tournament championships and a shot at the school mark for their longestg winning strak fell.

Hosging its own Cuyamaca Tip_ff Classic, Cuyamaca downed College of the Desert in Friday’s (Nov. 8) semifinals, 77=73.

Then on Saturday (Nob. 9), Mt. San Jacinto College raced to a 90-64 triumph.

Still, Cuyamaca(3-1 overall) matched their longest overall win streak since the 2006-07 season, when they posted win strings of both 5 and 5 games.

The school’s last 3-0 markto open a season came in 2008-09, a year when all of the current Coyotes were in pre-school.

The overall school record for consecutive victories was seven in 2005-06 (Dec, 29-Jan. 18), starting win a win over South Puget Sound College (Wash.), followed by six Pacific Coast (Athletic) Conference decisions.

Aainst the COD Roadrunners, Cuyamaca’s Nico Cervantes led with a career-best 22 points, hitting 13-for-14 from the foul line.

The other top Coyotes scorers were Jamier Sykes (19 points) and
Kenneth Klu (16), as the trio accounted for 57 of the ballclub’s 77 points.

Against the MSJC Eagles in the finale, Nico Cervantes scored 14 points for the Coyotes, while amier Sykes added 11.

Glednale (Calif.) 94, Grossmont 42
Copper Mountain 89, Grossmont 67

WALNUT – The struggling Grossmont College Griffins dropped their third sytaraight contest, including both games at Mt. San Antonio College’a Gene Victor Memorial Classic over the weekend (Nov. 8-9).

The Griffins fell in the first round to Glendale College (Calif.), then fell in the third place contest to Copper Mountain of Josha tree,Calif.

In the opener, the Vaqueros raced to a 51-21 halftime lead despite 17 points by the Griffins’ Micah Whitley (The Rock Academy), and 14 points off the bench from Lamont Wilkerson ()Scripps Ranch.

The secod-day contest against the Fighting Cacti — that’s really the school’s official nickname — was 51-31 at half. Wilkerson paced the G-House with 23 points.

Grossmont will host El Camino in its shome opener, slated for Friday (Nov. 15) at 6 p.m.

Women’s Basketball

Santa Ana 61, Grossmont 54
Grossmont 64, Saddleback 31

FLETCHER HILLS – Grossmont College (2-1 overall) split a paur of contests against Orange County based schools last week, falling to Santa Ana on Wednesda9 Nob.6), then bounding back to somp Saddleback on Friday (Nov. 8).

Against Santa Ana, the visiting Dons took the early lead in a see-saw affair. The teams combined for just 17 total i=points in the first period, but the ofense erupted for 49 points in the secondc quarter.

Grossmont closed to within five points late in the third period, but Santa Ana went on a late 13-2 to pull away.

For the Griffins, Anayla Anderson led with a double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Two nights late, Grossmont ripped the Saddlebacxk Bobcats with a 29-12 halftime cushion.

A balanced scoring by Grossmont saw – Janea Wilson score 13 points, while a trio of others — Anayla Anderson, Charlie Dagnino and Kyla Palpallatoc — added 12 each.

Chaya Scott made it five Griffins in double-figures scoring with 10.

This week, Grossmont will participate inthe San Diego Mesaq Crossov er Tournament,meeting West Los Angeles on Thursday at 4 p.m., then a rematch with Saddleback on Friday at 5 p.m.