One of the perks of writing for this site, is that I get to attend games, as like a member of the media. Silly, I know, and last night I was able to go to the Cal Poly/USC basketball game at the Galen Center in downtown Los Angeles (I live in LA, so this was not a hard thing for me to do). However, last night was December 17th, and for the rest of the world, that meant the premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” I have my tickets for Saturday, so I was fine, but I figure if I am going to go to this game on the same date as the premiere of the most anticipated movie of the year, well, I should probably write my post about the game with some sort of “Star Wars” angle right? So, many thanks to Mike Still, the artistic director of the Upright Citizen’s Brigade, Los Angeles (the theater where I have performed for the last six years), for giving me the idea to cover the game as Han Solo, so that is exactly what I am going to do. From here on out, I will be writing as the outlaw, Han Solo.

Hey, where the hell am I?  Chewy?  Chewy?  Where are you? Hmm. Dare I say it? Jabba? Come on Han. He died thirty years ago. Sorry, I’ll never forget all of that time in carbonite. Come on Han, you’ve woke up in stranger places. You can get through this. Okay, so it appears I am in some sort of arena. Oh no, the Rancor? Han, Luke killed the Rancor like 30 years ago. Right around the same Leia killed Jabba. I guess Leia’s right, I am getting old. Hope you’re happy General, I just said you’re right.

Oh wait, the lights are dimming.  Wait, that music.  I know that music.  But he’s dead too.  And yes, it’s been for about thirty years now.  Cram it with the jokes friend.  But what are these guys doing?  Whatever they’re up to, I am going to keep my blaster close.

I’ll say one thing, this guy Ridge Shipley, he just sounds like a guy who you would meet in Mos Eisley Cantina or piloting an X-wing next to Luke right? I like him. I have no idea what the hell is about to happen, but I like him. Okay, so five guys dressed in black with the words Cal Poly on their chests, and five guys dressed in white just came out with the name Trojan on their chest. I don’t know who I should be more worried about because the guys in black could be from the First Order, but the guys in white, could obviously be some sort of Stormtrooper. This may be some sort of two the death game being conducted by Imperial Forces. In fact, looking at one of the Trojan Stormtrooper arms, I honestly can’t tell if he is part snake or all human. Maybe a Slussi?  Seriously, what is the strange art on this man’s arms?

Anyway, so it appears this “game” has started, and from what I can tell the point is to put the ball in the round net, and the white team, specifically the snake-armed man, is doing a pretty well at that indeed.  But wait a minute, the game has stopped and now a voice comes can be heard, and a strange man begins to play some music while the First Order and the Stormtroopers talk to each other. Okay, this guy clearly is in charge. This guy has taken over for Jabba the Hut. He is ordering people to stand on their feet, to scream, to make some noise. He is a tyrant, begging his people to follow him, and it is clear this “game” is being played as some sort of entertainment for him.

I have been able to figure out that this twerp is named DJ Mal Ski. The guy just advertises it on his throne. Even Jabba wasn’t that full of himself, but this guy is clearly trying to one-up Jabba in a big way, so based on my relationship with Jabba, I gotta watch myself. Whoa, one of the stormtroopers took the ball and threw it into the net really hard.  Hadn’t seen that before. Oh, it happened again.  And again. It seems like the First Order guys need to do a better job of keeping the ball out of the net. Who cares though because this is all just big show for Master Mal Ski. Oh, here comes some dancers. I seem to recall Jabba just having one dancer with long tentacles coming out of her head. Some people try to say that it happened differently, as if someone changed how the original memory of the Jabba’s lair, but I was stuck in carbonite. That, unfortunately for me, did not change. Anyway, this Mal Ski is not satisfied with one dancer. He rolls out like twenty.  I can only assume they are slaves being made to dance.

I gotta do something about this guy. Oh no! He’s now putting people on the screen and making them kiss! These people are all his slaves, and he makes them do his bidding. You know, when I was younger, I wouldn’t have taken sides here. Well, I would have I guess. Whoever would have paid me the best. Not anymore though. You don’t fight against the Imperial Forces and don’t come out with a stronger sense of good and evil, and Mr. Mal Ski, it’s time to take you out. Wait, what’s that noise. All of the men playing are watching as one of the men throw the ball towards the net, and I hear something.

He’s got Chewy!  That giant furball gets on my nerves, but he’s my furball. Okay, this guy is going down. Oh, a horn just sounded, and everyone is leaving. There are guards preventing me onto the floor. It seems that the stormtroopers have more numbers than the First Order, whatever that means, but the crowd is keeping me away from Mal Ski. He’s gone. Gotta find Chewy. Gotta go.

David Nwaba scored a team-high 15 points in the Cal Poly loss. By Owen Main

On Monday night, Cal Poly gave up 61% shooting in Moraga and lost to St. Mary’s 93-63. The defensive difficulties continued for the Mustangs on Thursday in Los Angeles as Joe Callero’s team took another one on the chin in a 101-82 loss in a game that was never really in doubt.

David Nwaba was Cal Poly’s leading scorer with 15 points, but he was frustrated by USC’s length and physical inside play. Nwaba was 5-14 from the field. Joel Awich, Cal Poly’s leading scorer, only played 17 minutes because of foul trouble and fouled-out with just five points.

Luke Meikle and Taylor Sutlive each scored 13 for the Mustangs.

Foulsmanship

Cal Poly was in early foul trouble in both halves. The Mustangs only ended up with three more fouls than the Trojans, but when the game might have still been in doubt, Cal Poly was on the far wrong end. Early in the second half, USC was in the bonus while Cal Poly had drawn a single foul. With 10:23 to play in the second half, USC was in the double bonus. It made for a long game that was never really in doubt, or very exciting for that matter. Everyone is still trying to figure out the aesthetics of the new rules. In the case of this game, it made it really hard to watch in many cases.

Cal Poly head coach Joe Callero said everyone is still getting used to contact rules on drives and away from the hoop. Here’s hoping things get sorted out on all ends by the end of the calendar year and before conference play starts. High final scores are fine, but the clock was stopping a lot in this one… .

Brian Bennett scored in double-figures for the second game in a row. By Owen Main

USC length

The Trojans are a long team, that’s for sure. Only one Cal Poly player had more than four rebounds, and it was point guard Jaylen Shead, who had five. Cal Poly was out-rebounded 41-31 for the game. There were many balls that USC simply jumped higher to get, but Cal Poly has struggled to rebound recently.

In the two games this past week, the Mustangs were out-rebounded by 22 total. Cal Poly may not win every rebounding battle, but if they want to have a shot against teams like USC or St. Mary’s, they’ll have to do better than they did this week.

Martin gets on the court

Freshman Josh Martin, a transfer from Minnesota, was finally cleared to play against USC. Martin played 10 minutes, went scoreless (0-3 from the field), and pulled down two rebounds.

Last week, Callero basically described exactly how Martin would play in his first game back. In the USC game, Martin played the three when Cal Poly decided to play a big lineup. Look for lots of improvement there as the Mustangs barnstorm through Texas before the new year.

Over 50 = a loss

Josh Martin finally got on the court for Cal Poly, but it will probably take him until Big West play to really get his feet under him. By Owen Main

This week, Cal Poly opponents shot well over 50 percent. From behind the arc, St. Mary’s and USC shot a combined 31-54 (57 percent). Overall, the Gaels and Trojans shot 59 percent en route to a combined 194 points. I’m not sure if Cal Poly gave up 194 points in any three-game stretch the last few years, let alone a pair of games.

Yes, St. Mary’s and USC are a combined 17-3. St. Mary’s just beat Southern Utah by 56 points. But if Cal Poly is going to change their outcomes against good teams, they’ve got to figure out a way to build some defensive momentum in a game. Offensive pace will make the Mustangs more fun to watch tonight, but defense and rebounding haven’t got any less important.

Coming into the game against USC, Cal Poly knew Katin Reinhardt was a good shooter, but that didn’t stop the Trojan guard from getting open look after open look and scoring 22 points in the first half. Reinhardt finished with 29. The last time Cal Poly played USC, I think they scored 36. Total. Times they are a changin’.

The stars at night, are big and bright

Armed with three Texas natives and one signee from the Lone Star State, Cal Poly will fly to South Texas to continue their road trip. On Sunday, they’ll visit Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Sunday (noon Pacific time tipoff). On Tuesday, they’ll visit San Antonio to play UTSA.

The team will then be free for the holidays before heading back to Texas to take on Texas A&M in College Station on December 29th.

Photos by Owen Main

Find all photos from this game at photos.fansmanship.com