Preview: Rio Hondo at Pasadena City Men’s Basketball

PASADENA, Calif. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum in the back half of conference play will meet Wednesday when the Pasadena City Lancers host the Rio Hondo Roadrunners in a California community college men’s basketball matchup.

Both squads enter with nearly identical records, as Pasadena City (9-12) holds a slim one-game advantage over Rio Hondo (8-13) in the standings. The game tips off at 5 p.m. on Feb. 4, 2026.

The Roadrunners snapped a five-game skid with an 87-70 road victory over Los Angeles City last Friday. Guard Bobby Reyes led the way with 23 points and five assists, while Matthew Rodriguez added 21 points and eight rebounds. Reyes has been a consistent offensive catalyst, averaging 22.3 points over his last four games, including a 29-point, 11-rebound performance in a double-overtime loss to Los Angeles Trade-Tech on Jan. 21.

Pasadena City looks to rebound from a narrow 71-68 loss at East Los Angeles, also on Friday. Darrius Freeman shouldered a heavy load in that defeat, playing 40 minutes and scoring 16 points. The Lancers have struggled recently, losing four of their last five contests.

The matchup features two programs familiar with close games. Rio Hondo’s last five losses have come by an average of just over 10 points, while three of Pasadena City’s last four defeats were by six points or fewer.

Historically, the teams will meet again in just over two weeks on Feb. 20 at Rio Hondo, adding significance to Wednesday’s contest as a potential tiebreaker.

For Rio Hondo, sustaining the offensive efficiency shown in their last win will be key. For Pasadena City, finding secondary scoring behind Freeman and improving on a defense that allowed 84 points per game during its recent 1-4 stretch will be the focus.

The winner will climb back to the .500 mark in conference play and gain a critical edge in the tightly packed standings.