SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Interstat) — The Santa Barbara City College men’s basketball team used a dominant second-half performance to overcome a halftime deficit and defeat Cuesta College 94-81 in a California Community College Athletic Association game on Friday.

The visiting Cougars, who had won the previous meeting between the teams last month, controlled the first half behind efficient shooting and led 81-78 at intermission. The Vaqueros, however, seized control after the break, outscoring Cuesta 57-42 in the second half to pull away for the victory and even their season record at 13-13. Cuesta fell to 10-18.

The most important part of the game was a decisive 16-2 run by Santa Barbara early in the second half that turned a tight contest into a comfortable lead. With Cuesta leading 51-49, the Vaqueros erupted. The surge was fueled by defensive pressure and efficient offense, including a 3-pointer from James Reach and a layup from Finn Whipps. Jack Berry, who finished as the game’s top performer, capped the run with a 3-pointer to give Santa Barbara a 65-53 advantage from which Cuesta never recovered. The Cougars committed four turnovers during the pivotal stretch and could not match Santa Barbara’s offensive execution.

Berry led all scorers with 19 points and added 5 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal for Santa Barbara. Mason Thomas provided a critical spark off the bench with a game-high 23 points in just 23 minutes, including three 3-pointers. Reach contributed 15 points and 4 rebounds. The Vaqueros shot 50.8 percent from the floor and posted an offensive rating of 130.0 points per 100 possessions, significantly outperforming Cuesta’s 109.1 rating.

For Cuesta, Aiden Pearsall-Morgan led the way with 14 points and 5 assists. James Nugent also scored 14 points, and Griffyn Kapao added 12 points and a team-high 7 rebounds. The Cougars were hampered by 18 personal fouls and 8 turnovers, which Santa Barbara converted into key scoring opportunities. Cuesta also struggled at the free-throw line, making 18 of 30 attempts.

Santa Barbara’s defensive effort was key, registering 5 steals and 5 blocks while committing only 4 turnovers. The Vaqueros also won the battle for second-chance points, securing 10 offensive rebounds to Cuesta’s 7.

The win moves Santa Barbara to .500 on the season, while Cuesta has now lost three of its last four games.