Box Score | LOS ANGELES – The Cal Poly Pomona men's basketball team found a way to win another tough conference showdown Friday as the Broncos edged Cal State L.A., 64-57, for the team's eighth-consecutive win.
DeRonn Scott led the CPP scoring with 17 points, including a 9-for-12 performance at the free throw line.
Jordan Faison added 15 points, five rebounds and two assists. At 10-3 overall and 8-1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), the Broncos remain in second place in the conference standings.
After the Broncos fell into a 5-0 hole to start the contest,
Jordan Finn gave CPP a boost off the bench when he knocked down a three-pointer on the right side and then scrambled for a loose-ball rebound on the defensive end of the floor.
The host Golden Eagles' squad earned some extra chances at the free throw line and exhibited toughness in rebounding early to rally for a 9-1 run capped off with a James Tillman layup pushing the offensive tempo. That basket gave CSULA a 19-11 lead midway through the opening half.
The Broncos responded with a 9-0 run as they came up with one defensive stop after another. Faison brought toughness to CPP's offensive set and slammed in back-to-back dunks, including one right over a Golden Eagles' defender.
Scott helped the Broncos dissect the L.A. defense as the visiting CPP squad outscored the Golden Eagles 22-5 through the final 9:20 of the first half.
L.A. started the second half on a 6-0 run before junior forward
Chad Haysbert got the Broncos on the board with a layup at the 16:42 mark. The Golden Eagles cut the margin down to one point on a few different occasions before getting a 41-40 lead off a Davon Potts jumper.
Haysbert combined with teammate
Daniel Rodriguez to stand up L.A. guard Quinton Watkins for a missed jumper and Scott turned it into a transition layup that evened the score at 45-45. Less than a minute later, Rodriguez sent a slick pass underneath to Haysbert for an eventual three-point play off a layup and free throw to push CPP ahead 48-47.
After the two squads traded the lead back and forth, Gacek put the Broncos up again with a jumper just inside the arc. One offensive possession later, Faison worked past his defender with a spin move and tossed in a layup.
Haysbert continued his strong play down the stretch, staying with a tough offensive rebound to get a putback on one end and then shutting down the Golden Eagles in the post on defense. With CPP clinging to a single-digit lead in the final minute, Scott helped the Broncos break the full-court press and dropped in a key layup to put the game out of reach.
CPP will return to action Saturday with a 7:30 p.m. road game at Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Toros dropped a 78-50 result at home against Humboldt State Friday.
