Santa Rosa Edges Out Sacramento City 71-70 on January 14, 2025

In a thrilling showdown at Haehl Pavilion, Santa Rosa defeated Sacramento City 71-70 on January 14, 2025. Despite a strong first-half performance by the Panthers, the Bear Cubs surged in the second half, outscoring Sacramento 43-32 to claim a narrow victory.

First Half: Sacramento City Dominates Early
Sacramento City jumped out to a 38-28 lead at halftime behind a standout performance from Sidney Duplessis. Duplessis led all scorers with 14 points in the first half, including 4-13 shooting from beyond the arc. The Panthers shot 35.7% from the field in the first half, and their defense helped limit Santa Rosa to just 28 points. Aaron Gillyard and Duplessis combined for 50% of the team's points in the first half, contributing a balanced offensive attack.

Santa Rosa struggled with shooting in the first half, particularly from long range, hitting only 3 of 14 three-pointers. However, they kept the game close with strong rebounding, with Vincent Jackson and Jaden Washington contributing a combined 16 rebounds in the opening period. Spencer Langowski kept the Bear Cubs in the game with 10 points in the first half.

Second Half: Santa Rosa Makes a Comeback
Santa Rosa came out with renewed energy in the second half, outscoring Sacramento 43-32 to edge ahead for the win. Gavin Cook-Wisenton played a key role in the Bear Cubs' second-half rally, scoring 8 points, while Langowski added another 11 points to finish with a team-high 21 for the game. The Bear Cubs shot 40.9% from the field and a much-improved 30.0% from three-point range in the second half, capitalizing on the Panthers' struggles.

Despite a late surge from Duplessis, who finished with 37 points, Sacramento City could not hold onto their slim lead. Duplessis had a strong game from the field, going 14-27, but the Panthers struggled to find consistent scoring elsewhere. Gillyard finished with 13 points, but the team's shooting struggles (25-70 overall) and inability to execute late in the game proved costly.

Key Performances
Sacramento City:

• Sidney Duplessis: 37 points, 7 rebounds
• Aaron Gillyard: 13 points, 4 rebounds
• Jayden Ferreira: 11 points
• Exander Irving-Romero: 6 points
• Jeremy Kimber: 2 points, 6 rebounds

Santa Rosa:

• Spencer Langowski: 21 points, 7 rebounds
• Gavin Cook-Wisenton: 13 points, 12 rebounds
• Jaden Washington: 13 points, 8 rebounds
• Andrew Pengel: 10 points, 5 rebounds
• Vincent Jackson: 8 points, 8 rebounds

Team Stats
Sacramento City:

• 25-70 (35.7% FG), 11-37 (29.7% 3P), 9-15 (60.0% FT)

Santa Rosa:

• 27-66 (40.9% FG), 9-30 (30.0% 3P), 8-12 (66.7% FT)