FAIRFIELD, CA. – In the annual Solano Men’s basketball home opener against Fremont’s Ohlone College Renegades, the Solano Community College Falcons lost Friday night in front of a home crowd 93-85, despite a 25-point performance from starting guard Dominick Dennis, as the team fell to 0-2 to start the season.
Dennis ended the first half leading the Falcons in scoring with 10 points and hitting all of his free throws in both trips to the line. The Solano guard increased his scoring and maintained his efficiency in the second half as well, scoring the remaining 15 of his 25 while going five of seven from the free throw line.
“We lost our first game, so we just came in really looking forward to trying to bounce back at home in front of a home crowd,” Dennis told me after the game.
“They really showed out,” he stated, referencing the audience of the club’s home opener.
According to Dennis, the team’s main issue on the floor tonight was the other side of his 25 points.
“Our defense was lacking for sure, we gotta fix that as a team,” he admitted.
A sequence of events late in the second half, kicked off by a clutch Dennis score, can serve as an example of his thoughts on the night. Around the halfway-point of the second half, Dennis was passed the ball and hit a much-needed three – which cut Ohlone’s lead from 11 to eight – but that was immediately followed up by an off-the-dribble drive by Ohlone which put the Renegades back up 10.
“We just gotta work and get better,” Dennis stated.
According to the sophomore guard, Dennis and the team aren’t going to spend much time dwelling on the 0-2 start, due to the young age of the season.
“It’s only two games. We got 26 more,” he exclaimed.
“It’s not season ending, it’s a wake-up call.”
Interim Head Coach Diego Reyes expressed similar opinions on the lack of team success on the court, but was more lenient with the defensive play.
“We’re still scoring efficiently. It just comes down to the defensive end,” he declared.
“We’ve been giving up a lot of points, more than we’re used to.”
Instead of criticizing the entire defense last night, Reyes thought certain aspects of the effort defensively were more than serviceable. He believed that Solano’s transition defense was the primary problem.
“When we’re playing in the half court, we’re good enough to hang with anybody,”
Dennis’ and Coach Reyes’ insight into the bigger picture of this game, shared discontent and yet hopefulness, reflects the broader attitude of the locker room, according to Solano Assistant Coach Brandon Bracy.
Bracy stated that there was “disappointment” in the locker room, but heads are still high.
“We still got 20 plus games left, so we’re just trying to make the adjustments and put it together and start getting some wins,” Bracy explained.
“Everybody is disappointed because they’re competitors, but they’ll be back at it next week, strong.”
Solano will stay at the Nest for their next matchup, as the Sacramento City College Panthers travel eastward on the I-80 next Thursday, Nov. 13, to take on the Falcons.
