BAKERSFIELD, CA – The Bakersfield College men's basketball team hosted Cuesta College in the first game of the 2019 Renegade Classic in the Gil Bishop Sports center on Friday evening and won 80-77 to start the season with a 4-0 record.
The `Gades got out to slow start, trailing by seven points until sophomore guard Michael Guillory put the red on the board with two free throw shots. Shortly after BC would start feeling the fire and freshman JJ Fain would score back to back three pointers to take the lead for the Renegades, 8-7 and again 10-9. The Cougars quickly silenced that lead and quickly got four out on the paint and then went on 6-2 run.
With 8:37 left in the game Renegades would manage to come back and tie the game, 21-21 and run away with the lead to take advantage of the game in the first half, 46-32. Guard Tyrell Coleman led the first half for the BC with 17 points and 4 rebounds while Guillory had 8 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.
Into the second half BC would start off the scoring drives and go on a 6-5 run. The `Gades took their largest lead at 17 points three times in the first four minutes before Cuesta started slowly scratching back. The Cougars finally tied it up again at 62-62 with eight minutes left to go in the game by going on a 6-2 run. The Renegades would start answering back and lead again but the Cougars were still hungry. With 47 seconds to go Cuesta would try to make a last-minute run by forcing a foul, sinking in 3 points and going in for a layup with 13.2 seconds left to only be down by two. The men in red would get a final two points in the paint before the buzzer to seal the deal, 80-77.
Coleman led the `Gades with 25 points while Guillory followed him with 16 points to end the night. As a team, Bakersfield finished the game making 72% of its free-throws.
The Renegades will play another game at home tomorrow at 3pm against Napa Valley College to finish out the 2019 Renegade Classic.
Stay connected with Renegade Athletics on social media. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
