Vaqueros will host Desert in 44th SBCC Classic

Vaqueros will host Desert in 44th SBCC Classic

SBCC will take on College of the Desert on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the opening round of the 44th annual SBCC Classic men's basketball tournament at the Sports Pavilion.

After eight games on the road, the Vaqueros (2-6) will make their home debut on Thursday night against the Roadrunners (0-6).

    2016 SBCC Classic Bracket

Robert Hutchins, a 6-0 sophomore guard from Bismarck, N.D., is shooting 49.2 percent and leads the Vaqueros in scoring (21.4 per game) with a high of 31 points. He's also averaging 4.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.5 steals. Freshman Ben Clay is averaging 12.3 points and 7.3 rebounds and 6-6 freshman Jesse DeVries is scoring 9.3 a game.

Shaquille Russell, a 6-0 freshman guard, leads Desert with a 12.5 scoring average.

In other first-round games, L.A. Valley (2-5) meets Bakersfield (6-5) at 3 p.m.; Oxnard (1-4) takes on San Diego Miramar (6-3) at 5 p.m. and Columbia (3-4) battles Grossmont (5-5) at 9 p.m.

There will be four games on Friday (consolation semifinals at 3 & 5 p.m.; championship semifinals at 7 & 9 p.m. Saturday's schedule starts with the consolation final at 3 p.m., followed by the third-place game at 5 p.m. and the championship at 7 p.m.

The Vaqueros have won the Classic eight times and finished second on nine occasions. They lost in the title game the last two years to Victor Valley and Ventura, respectively.