Bobcats beat Cuesta for consolation title

The Saddleback men's basketball team won the consolation championship of the Grossmont College Tournament with a 57-48 win against Cuesta College on Sunday in El Cajon.  The Bobcats dug in defensively to improve to 5-3 on the season.

Saddleback took a different approach on Sunday from the game the day before when they won a shootout against Palo Verde.  The Bobcats ratcheted up the defense, frustrating the Cougars and winning a tight battle with defense.

Saddleback led 28-26 at halftime as Elijah Al-Debaran, Jimuel Reyes and Gerald Jones III all scored six points apiece in clinging to a two-point lead.  Saddleback had a 9-0 lead to start the game, holding Cuesta scoreless for the first 3:48 of the game.  The lead swelled to 12 points near the midway point before Cuesta found a rhythm and chipped away at the lead.  Saddleback scored just seven points over the last 11:37 of the half, watching the lead nearly disintegrate while Cuesta battled to make it a contest.

Both teams were cold to start the second half.  Saddleback failed to score a point over the first 5:40 of the half while Cuesta took a 33-28 lead.  The Bobcats finally found a spark when Nick Bowden buried a three-pointer with 14:20 remaining, cutting the Cougar lead to two.  Later in the half, Reyes found the bottom of the net and completed a three-point play and the Bobcats regained the lead at 38-36.  On the next possession, Reyes nailed a three-pointer and Saddleback had a lead they would never relinquish at 41-36.

Saddleback's defense was stifling over the last 6.5 minutes of the game, allowing just seven points the rest of the way.  The Bobcats held Cuesta to 1-for-7 shooting, forcing four turnovers and taking a nine point lead in the final minute of the game. 

Reyes (pictured) led Saddleback with 17 points on the afternoon while Derek Rubidoux led the Bobcats with eight rebounds.  The Saddleback defense held Cuesta to 33% shooting for the game while forcing the Cougars into 19 turnovers. 

Saddleback is now 5-3 on the season and two games above .500 for the first time this season.  The Bobcats will play in the Riverside City College Tournament starting on Wednesday.  Saddleback (5-3) opens the tournament against East Los Angeles College (6-2) on Wednesday at 5:00 PM.