With early-season recognition coming their way, the Cerritos College men's basketball team started off on the wrong foot on Saturday with an 82-70 home loss against Rio Hondo College. The Falcons (0-1) ranked #2 in the state in the pre-season poll, were in a tight game against the Roadrunners until poor shooting opened the door for their opponents to spoil the team's home opener. The team will look to get their first win of the season on Wednesday when they travel to Santa Monica College for a 7:00 p.m. contest.

Outside shooting was the downfall for Cerritos, as they netted only 3-of-22, while 21 turnovers also prevented the team from putting more points on the board. Sophomore Victor Jones (Lakewood HS), who missed last season, netted 8-of-13 shots and led the team with 21 points, while he also posted a team-high five steals.

Rio Hondo turned to Shawn Benn for important points, and he didn't fail, as he scored a game-high 27 points along with five three-pointers and eight rebounds. The Roadrunners drained 9-of-18 from long range, while sophomore Jordan Reise (Huntington Beach HS) netted a pair for the Falcons, as he finished with 10 points. Freshman Austin Pope (Burbank HS) added 11 points, four rebounds and three assists, with freshman Billy Glenn (Dorsey HS) coming off the bench to lead the team with eight rebounds.

Photos by Daryl Peterson