SAN LUIS OBISPO, California – Junior Striker Alimamy Koroma (above) recorded a game with 17 points and a graduate protection Jacob Davison ended at 14 when the Cal Poly men’s basketball program opened the 2021-22 regular season and a home stand for three games at the Mott Athletics Center with an 86-53 win over NAIA Westcliff on Tuesday night.
Freshman Guard Julien Franklin added 10 points for Cal Poly (1-0), who were only twice behind Irvine-based Westcliff, never by more than two points and not for the final 34 minutes. During the first ever meeting between the two programs, Cal Poly outperformed the Warriors with 50-37.
Thirteen of the 14 Mustangs that appeared in the matchup scored with three-guards Daniel Esparza (eight) and Hayden Jory (two) and middle Matur Dhal (one) – Record your first college credits.
Koroma grabbed a team that led eight rebounds.
Cal Poly’s three-game home stand will continue against the state of North Dakota on Friday, November 12th at 2pm, before ending against the state of Sacramento on Monday, November 15th at 7pm
During the game on Tuesday, a jumper from Warriors security guard Joshua Harrison gave Westcliff 6: 4, four minutes after the start of the game, for the final lead of the evening. Cal Poly responded by holding Westcliff on a lone bucket for a subsequent five-minute span, and after a 15-2 run the Mustangs shot forward 19-8.
Westcliff reduced Cal Poly’s lead to five times the rest of the first half, with the Mustangs taking the break at 32:23.
Cal Poly led 35:24 per minute in the second half, Westcliff received a knight from striker Abdul Abdullah before Harrison pocketed a three to close the gap to 35:29 with 17 and a half minutes.
However, Cal Poly countered with a 13-3 run to shoot up again with 48-32 and 14 minutes to go. Franklin, Koroma and Esparza followed with jumpers when Cal Poly took the lead 54:34 with 12 minutes to go.
(Article courtesy of Cal Poly Athletics).
