Preview: Cuyamaca Coyotes at San Diego Mesa Olympians

SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — Two men’s junior college basketball teams with identical records and a recent history of split decisions will meet Wednesday night when the Cuyamaca Coyotes visit the San Diego Mesa Olympians.

The California Community College Athletic Association matchup features a pair of teams both sitting at 9-14 overall this season. The season series is tied 1-1, with each team winning on the other’s home floor. Cuyamaca claimed the most recent meeting, 83-78 on Jan. 14, while Mesa posted a 67-50 victory in El Cajon on Dec. 30.

Both teams are looking to build momentum after divergent results in their last outings. San Diego Mesa enters riding high from a dominant 106-52 victory over Imperial Valley on Feb. 6. The Coyotes, meanwhile, are looking to rebound from an 85-61 home loss to San Diego City that same day.

A key player to watch for Cuyamaca will be Kenneth Klu. The forward has been a consistent scorer, posting 19 points in two of his last three significant outings, including a 19-point, 7-rebound performance in a loss at Palomar on Feb. 4.

San Diego Mesa will counter with guard Michael Contreras, who dished out four assists and scored 12 points in a tough road loss to San Diego City on Jan. 28.

The Coyotes’ recent form has been uneven, with a 2-3 record in their last five games, including the Jan. 14 win over Mesa. The Olympians are also 2-3 in their last five, but their recent blowout win suggests a potential surge.

With identical records and a split in the season series, Wednesday’s game at San Diego Mesa is effectively a tiebreaker for local bragging rights and crucial for positioning late in the conference schedule. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. PST on Feb. 11.

Up Next: Cuyamaca travels to face Imperial Valley on Feb. 18. San Diego Mesa visits Grossmont on the same date.