Preview: Cerro Coso Coyotes at Chaffey Panthers

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. (Interstat) — Two men’s junior college basketball teams seeking momentum will meet Saturday when the Cerro Coso Coyotes visit the Chaffey Panthers.

The non-conference matchup, organized by the California Community College Athletic Association, features teams with nearly identical records. Cerro Coso enters at 4-7 overall, while Chaffey sits at 5-8.

Both squads are looking to rebound from narrow losses last Wednesday. Cerro Coso fell 67-66 to Victor Valley on a last-second basket, despite 11 points and seven assists from guard Demarris Day. Chaffey dropped a 86-70 decision at San Bernardino Valley, though guard Avery Garcia posted 17 points, five rebounds and eight assists.

Day is the catalyst for the Coyotes’ offense. Over his last seven games, the guard has shown high-level scoring and playmaking, including a 33-point outburst in a double-overtime loss to Antelope Valley on Nov. 25 and a 16-point effort in a road win at Santa Monica on Dec. 5. His ability to distribute, evidenced by three games with seven or more assists this season, will be central against Chaffey.

Garcia anchors the Panthers, providing steady all-around production. He has recorded double-digit points in five of his last six contests and is coming off a near triple-double with 12 assists against Oxnard on Dec. 9. His backcourt battle with Day will be a key storyline.

Cerro Coso has shown resilience in close games, with three of its wins coming by five points or fewer, including an 84-82 victory over Los Angeles Southwest on Dec. 2. Chaffey’s season has been marked by offensive surges, scoring 98 and 91 points in two December games, but also by defensive lapses in its current four-game losing skid.

The game tips off at 5 p.m. PST on Dec. 20. The teams are scheduled to meet again in Ridgecrest on Jan. 31 in Inland Empire Athletic Conference play.