Vaqueros Battle Hard in Non-Conference Finale Against Chaffey

SANTA BARBARA, CA – In its final game of 2022 Friday at the Sports Pavilion, the SBCC men's basketball team found itself in a dogfight with Chaffey coming up just short in a 76-71 defeat.

The Vaqueros (5-11) came out strong leading by nine points late in the first half as they tried to hand the Panthers (11-3) just their fourth loss of the season. However, Chaffey used a 20-8 run midway through the second half to go up by double-digits and hang on for the win.

Freshman Aidan Mandel led SBCC with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Guards Wilfrid Nado, Trevor Lee and Elijah Simpson all put in 12.

In a back-and-forth first half, freshman guard Luke Dillon came off the bench and provided a big spark. After blocking a shot at the rim, he would hit back-to-back threes from each corner to put SBCC up 27-19.

The Panthers began the second half on an 8-0 run, but the Vaquero guards helped keep them in front. Nado converted a three-point play with a highlight left-handed shot high off glass to put SBCC up 38-37. A crafty, studder-step reverse layup by Lee was soon followed by a Nado triple to make it 45-41. 

Simpson hit a runner in the lane to give the Vaqueros a slight 49-48 edge with just over 12 minutes remaining, but that would be the last team SBCC led the rest of the way. After going 6-of-11 from the field in the first half, Mandel was held without a second half field goal until the final seconds.

Santa Barbara had an efficient three-point shooting day knocking down 46.2 percent (6-13 3FG) from range and only turned the ball over three times, but the Panthers' offense was too hot in the second half as they outscored SBCC by 12 over the final 20 minutes.

SBCC will now look forward to its conference opener next Wednesday at Cuesta at 7:00 p.m.