BAKERSFIELD, CA – In a rescheduled showdown at the Gil Bishop Sports Center, the Bakersfield College men's basketball team battled hard but ultimately came up short, falling 82-78 to the Santa Monica Corsairs in a back-and-forth matchup that went down to the wire. Due to ongoing wildfires in Southern California, Santa Monica moved its originally scheduled home game for this weekend to play at Bakersfield Monday night. 

The Renegades took an early lead, with efficient shooting and dominance in the paint. BC led 44-38 at halftime, fueled by the strong inside presence of freshman teammates Joauquin Rios and Godwill Fomusoh, who combined for 20 points and 9 rebounds. The team also got a spark from Lendl Henderson off the bench, who poured in 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including two key three-pointers.

However, Santa Monica responded in the second half with defensive adjustments and clutch scoring. 

The Renegades' offense struggled in the second half, with their three-point shooting. Despite a valiant effort, turnovers (20 total) and missed opportunities allowed Santa Monica to outscore Bakersfield 44-34 in the final period.

Forward Markell Brooks was a standout performer for BC, scoring 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including three triples. Sophomore Khalil Shivers led the team in assists with seven.

SMC capitalized on Bakersfield's miscues, scoring 26 points off turnovers and grabbing 21 second-chance points. Their bench contributed 42 points, providing the depth needed to secure the win.

With this loss, the Renegades drops to 8-8 overall and 0-2 in conference play. Another doubleheader is scheduled for Wednesday, January 15th against Antelope Valley. The men will tip off at 7:00pm.