By Gavin Claiborne, Feb. 18, 2025
Cal Poly Pomona men’s basketball team improved its California Collegiate Athletic Association conference record to 7-9 after a 48-46 win against the Cal State L.A. Golden Eagles Feb. 6 and a 49-72 loss to the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros Feb. 8.
The Broncos fell into a scoring slump during the first six minutes of the game, as the Golden Eagles took a commanding 11-1 lead.
But reserve guard Miles Lewis knocked down a 3-pointer, and scoring efforts from reserve forward Edric Dennis and starting guards Demarreya Lewis-Cooper and Jaden Winfield cut the deficit to just 1 point.
Reserve guard Zach Broadous also nailed a deep 3-pointer to give the Broncos the lead 16-14 with about nine minutes remaining in the half, and the team kept a 26-25 lead entering halftime.
The Golden Eagles didn’t show any signs of fatigue as the team regained the lead going into the second half, eventually taking a 5-point lead after six minutes. However, the Broncos remained competitive as each team exchanged leads eight times in total during the half.
Winfield sank a pair of free throws to break a 40-40 tie and give the Broncos the lead with about five and a half minutes remaining in regulation.
A right-handed layup from Broadous, a left-handed layup from Winfield and a turnaround jumper after a pump fake from Lewis put the Broncos on top at 48-46.
The Golden Eagles had an opportunity to tie, or perhaps even win, the game after two-straight timeout calls with six and a half seconds left in the game, but the Broncos’ 2-3 zone defense proved to be enough to secure the 48-46 win after Lewis-Cooper ripped the ball away and ran out the clock.
Lewis-Cooper, who recorded 11 points, two blocks, four assists and the game-sealing steal, said the Broncos’ zone defense — a more team-oriented style of defense compared to individual players’ defensive efforts — was a crucial factor in defeating the Golden Eagles.
“We stayed locked in on defense all game, and I think that’s been a big part of our team success whenever we win,” Lewis-Cooper said.
Broncos head coach Greg Kamansky said he liked the grit and grind the Broncos exemplified against Cal State L.A.
“Our guys’ spirit was good tonight,” Kamansky said. “It was ugly basketball, but this was a huge win for us.”
The Broncos were in complete control of the boards, collecting 39 total rebounds compared to the Golden Eagles’ 25 rebounds. Kamansky said rebounding was a principal point of emphasis going into the game.
“Last week, when we lost the game to (Cal Poly Humboldt), we played good defense, but they dominated us on the glass,” Kamansky said. “That was the reason we lost, and so we really locked in on rebounding tonight.”
The Broncos’ next game against the Toros had a different outcome compared to the team’s game against the Golden Eagles.
The Toros took control of the game almost spontaneously, reaching double digits within four minutes of playing time.
The Broncos simply couldn’t buy a bucket as the team shot 27.6% from the field, including going 0-9 from 3-point range.
Late scoring efforts from the Broncos also weren’t enough to catch up with the Toros in the first half as the Toros led 34-19.
The Toros never looked back as the team maintained the lead for the entire game.
The Broncos were able to improve their scoring by putting up a collective 30 points, but the Toros remained relentless as they dominated offensively to win the contest 72-49.
In the end, Lewis led the Broncos in scoring with 15 points, and he racked up four assists. Also, Winfield became the second leading scorer for the Broncos with 8 points and six rebounds.
Feature image courtesy of Will G MacNeil
