POMONA, Calif. - Building on their early-season momentum, the Broncos battled their way to a 65-58 win over La Sierra in Wednesday night's home opener at Kellogg Arena. CPP pushed through a cold shooting start, managed a tightly contested first half, and ultimately pulled ahead with a key second-half surge before locking down defensively to move to 4-1 on the season.
Cal Poly Pomona opened the night with strong defensive intensity, forcing a series of La Sierra turnovers that helped stabilize the offense during a stretch when shots weren't falling. Malcolm Bell provided an early spark with transition finishes and active work on the glass, while Shyheim Parm added timely steals that generated easy run-out opportunities. Although the Broncos struggled from the perimeter in the opening half, contributions from Demarreya Lewis-Cooper, Kevin Simeth, and the bench helped CPP keep pace in a back-and-forth frame that featured multiple lead changes. A pair of late free throws by Edric Dennis ultimately sent the Broncos into halftime tied 24-24.
The second half unfolded with far more rhythm for CPP. Lewis-Cooper jump-started the offense with mid-range scoring and aggressive drives, while Bell continued to impose himself inside, helping the Broncos carve out a two-possession lead. The turning point came midway through the half when CPP pieced together a pivotal burst: a transition three from Sam Hunter, a fast-break triple by Dennis, and a momentum-swinging dunk from Bell that created a double-digit advantage.
La Sierra responded with timely shooting and strong interior play, trimming the margin in the closing minutes and forcing CPP into a possession-by-possession finish. The Broncos, however, executed late. Parm converted a layup with just over a minute remaining to give CPP a five point cushion at 61-56, and CPP finished the game by controlling the glass and limiting La Sierra's second-chance looks. Dennis sealed the result at the free-throw line in the final seconds as the Broncos closed out the 65-58 win.
Up Next:
The Broncos head to La Mirada, Calif. to face Biola on Saturday, November 29th at 4:00 PM.
Bronco Bits:
- Greg Kamansky is now 474-217 as the head coach of the Broncos
- Now in its 78th season, CPP Men's Basketball is 1,170-925 all-time with a 508-416 record in CCAA games
- Three of the Broncos' first seven games are against teams whose mascot is the Golden Eagle
- Cal Poly Pomona dominated fast-break scoring, outpacing La Sierra 26–6
- The Broncos converted 15 points off turnovers compared to just 3 for La Sierra
- Both teams gained the lead 6 times each
