SBCC Wins Sixth Straight, Advances to Championship Game at MPC Holiday Classic

MONTEREY, Calif. - The SBCC men's basketball team extended its winning streak to six games Friday night with a hard-fought 69–65 victory over Solano College in the semifinals of the Monterey Bay Holiday Classic.

The Vaqueros jumped out to an impressive start, building a 32–13 lead capped by an emphatic alley-oop dunk from freshman Jack Berry.

Berry delivered a standout performance, finishing with 16 points and 11 rebounds. However, Solano responded with a 17–5 run to close the first half, trimming the deficit and sending SBCC into halftime with a 37–30 advantage.

"We came out extremely aggressive and focused on defense tonight," said head coach Devin Engebretsen. "But credit to Solano—they came roaring back. We're still learning what it means to play a full 40 minutes and how every possession matters."

During Solano's late first-half surge, the Vaqueros committed five turnovers that led to 11 Falcons points. Although SBCC held the lead throughout the contest, constant dribble-drive pressure and resulting fouls allowed Solano to eventually tie the game at 52 midway through the second half.

SBCC responded with timely plays down the stretch. Sophomore Ramon Cota knocked down two crucial three-pointers in a two-minute span, sophomore James Reach converted a tough left-handed and-one, and freshman Dominic Bonafede drained a pressure-packed corner three to give the Vaqueros a five-point cushion late.

Solano wasn't finished, hitting a difficult banked three-pointer with nine seconds remaining to cut the lead to two. But for the third straight game, Reach sealed the outcome at the free-throw line, calmly converting both attempts to secure the four-point win.  Reach had another outstanding stat line of 14 points, three rebounds, five assists, two blocks and one steal. Bonafede kicked in 10 points to go with five rebounds. 

With the victory, SBCC advances to the championship game against Sierra College on Saturday, looking to capture its first tournament title in some time. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.