Cuesta Men's Basketball concluded its five-game, season-opening homestand with a loss against #8 Riverside. 69-63.  The Cougars owned a lead after the first ten minutes of each half, but the visiting Tigers closed strong both times and earned the win.  Cuesta was up 14-8 in the first ten minutes of the game, but went into the intermission trailing Riverside, 37-26.  The Cougars climbed all the way back to take the lead, 47-41 with less than ten-minutes left in regulation, but the Bengals' full court press provided Riverside with enough easy baskets to survive their trip to SLO, 69-63.  Four of Cuesta's five starters scored in double-digits in the game, including Point Guard Japjit Gill (Union City), who led the Cougars with both 12 points and nine rebounds.  2021 Cuesta Team MVP Darryl Brooks II (Menemonee Falls, WI) and Freshman Forward Juani Dassie (Marcos Juarez, ARG) both netted 11 points, while Dassie added team-highs with four assists, three steals and a pair of blocked shots.  Riverside's Amil Davis posted game-highs with both 18 points and nine rebounds.  The Cougars fall to 2-3 on the season, while the Tigers improved to 3-2 overall.  

The Cougars concluded their season-opening homestand and are on the road until 2022, when they host Oxnard on January 5 for their Western State Conference Opener.  Cuesta's next game is against Cabrillo College in Aptos on November 27 (5 PM)