POMONA. – Every once in a while, it’s not good to be “in the zone.” That’s especially the case when your men’s basketball team is playing at Cal Poly Pomona. Chico State found that out on Saturday. The Wildcats made just one basket in the first nine minutes of the second half against the Broncos’ vaunted zone and watched a halftime lead evaporate. They got as close as four with four minutes remaining, but eventually fell 64-50 to the 23rd-ranked Broncos.  

It was the first loss of the season for Chico State, which dipped to 5-1 overall and 1-1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Cal Poly Pomona improved to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the CCAA.

Damario Sims led the Wildcats with 17 points. Jay Flores finished with 10 points, four assists and four steals. Sean Park pitched in 10 points as well.

The Wildcats knocked down four early 3-pointers to build an 18-12 lead and took a 27-26 lead into the locker room.

But they missed their first six shots of the second half against the Broncos’ difficult zone and turned it over four times during the same stretch before James Staniland finally sank a 3-pointer with 14:37 left to make it 33-30. That only slowed the bleeding, however. The Wildcats missed six more shots and committed a pair of turnovers before they finally scored again. By then, they trailed 41-32.

The lead grew as large as 11, but the Wildcats stayed within striking distance. Then Sims sank a jumper and a 3-pointer in a 32-second span, and suddenly, the Wildcats’ deficit was only 49-45.

But they missed their next four shots and saw Cal Poly Pomona pull away late at the foul line.

The Wildcats will play their third game in seven days on Wednesday when they travel to take on Cal State Stanislaus at 7 p.m.

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