Giants Men's Basketball Split at Golden Gate Classic

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The College of the Sequoias men's basketball team split their two games at the Golden Gate Classic, held at City College of San Francisco this past Thursday and Friday. The Giants showcased their potential with a victory on the opening night before falling in a tough matchup to close out the tournament. 

COS 92, San Joaquin Delta 63  

The COS team delivered a commanding 92-63 victory over San Joaquin Delta on Thursday evening at the Golden Gate Classic at City College of San Francisco. 

They showcased their depth and defensive discipline in a dominant second half to pull away from San Joaquin Delta. Sophomore Jaden Haire led the way with a double-double, finishing with 19 points and 15 rebounds. Ahmad Clark provided a spark off the bench with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Davis White added 14 points and four assists. 

The Giants led by just three points at halftime, 39-36, before outscoring Delta 53-27 in the second half. The Giants shot 53.7% from the field, forced 17 turnovers, and recorded 10 steals. 

"Jaden and Ahmad were fantastic for us tonight, but it was a total team effort," Head Coach Dallas Jensen said. "We locked in defensively after halftime and shared the ball really well. When we play like that, we're tough to beat." 

COS 56, CCSF 78 

Sophomore Jaden Haire led COS with 16 points and 9 rebounds, but the Giants could not overcome a tough first half in a 78-56 loss to San Francisco on Friday night. 

Sequoias (8-2) fell behind early, trailing 38-17 at halftime. The Giants struggled to find their rhythm offensively. Ahmad Clark added eight points and five rebounds off the bench, while Tyree Gill chipped in 10 points and five boards. Kevin Anderson contributed seven points. 

Head Coach Dallas Jensen pointed to the team's slow start as a decisive factor. "We didn't execute early, and that hurt us," Jensen said. "When you fall behind against state contender like San Francisco, it's really hard to dig out of that hole." 

Despite the deficit, the Giants showed fight in the second half by limiting the high powered San Francisco offense to its lowest output this season. Haire continued to score inside, and the team improved its ball movement and defensive effort. 

"I was proud of how we responded after halftime," Jensen said. "Jaden (Haire) set the tone with his effort, and we'll use this as a learning moment to get better." 

Upcoming Games 

This week, the Giants will look to bounce back at the Feather River Classic in Quincy, CA starting this Friday, December 13 when they travel to take on Feather River College at 5:00 p.m. They will take on Lassen College in Quincy on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.