Typically, when you walk into Mott Athletics Center, you are met with bleachers filled with Cal Poly students, parents and alumni. While 1,222 fans showed up to Cal Poly Men’s Basketball’s Friday morning exhibition game, they were not your usual attendees. 

Instead, hundreds of San Luis Obispo county elementary school students filled the stands chanting “Defense!” at the top of their lungs to open the game. 

The Mustangs hosted Division II California State East Bay for their pre-season opening game that doubled as their annual ‘Field Trip’ game welcoming the student fans. The Mustangs pulled out a 97-86 win for their first unofficial victory of the season.

“They definitely helped us win the game,” sophomore guard Hamad Mousa said of the student crowd. 

With half of the team being returning players and half being newcomers, the team will have to adjust with each game. 

“We’re just a really young team right now, we’re making lots of mistakes and we don’t recognize how it’s impacting the overall game, so the film is going to be really valuable for us to reinforce the little details,” DeGeorge said. 

Returning sophomore guard Peter Bandelj was essential for the Mustangs win as he racked up 16 points, eight assists and three rebounds while newcomer Mousa added nearly a fourth of the team’s total points with 25 points. 

The Pioneers came out fast in the first quarter, taking a 9-2 lead within the first five minutes of the game. The Mustangs struggled to gain the lead until midway through the half when they were able to work back from the early deficit. Cal Poly was outshooting the Pioneers by the end of the first half with a field goal percentage of 52%. 

While Cal Poly was able to take the lead, the half continued to go back-and-forth as the Mustangs struggled with offensive rebounds, gaining only nine throughout the entire game. 

“The offensive rebounding that we gave up was not good and we’ll have to do a way better job rebounding the ball moving forward,” head coach Mike DeGeorge said. 

Friday was the annual ‘Field Trip’ game, where Cal Poly invites elementary schoolers from all over to cheer them on in a season-opening exhibition game. Credit: Emma Arredondo / Mustang News

Throughout the second half, the deficit continued to stay within reach for both teams until Cal Poly went on a 4-0 run in the middle of the half allowing for a 72-61 lead that helped them secure the win. 

With such a young team, the Mustangs are adjusting to the holes in their lineup from departed standouts such as Owen Koonce and Isaac Jessup. Bringing in leadership from last year’s squad, graduated veteran Hayden Jory has joined this year’s staff as the assistant director of operations. 

Returning junior guard Cayden Ward and newcomer Mousa stepped up and played critical roles in the win. 

Ward led the team offensively in the half with 14 points adding onto the team’s impressive 65.2% field goal percentage accounting for an overall 58.3% at the end of the game. 

Last season, Ward emerged as a key player in the rotation in his first year as a Mustang. He averaged 7.8 points and  3.9 rebounds a game, including a career high 13 rebounds against UC Riverside in the Big West Quarterfinals. He finished the year fifth on the team in three-point field goal percentage with .348%. 

Mousa, a Qatar native and transfer from the University of Dayton, is a new face on the Cal Poly Men’s Basketball team. He was a standout against the Pioneers, rallying to go 4-for-5 in three point attempts.

“Every game I feel like we’re going to improve,” Mousa said. “I’m just trying to help my team win and do the best I can.” 

To kick off their non-conference season, the Mustangs will hit the road to take on University of Southern California on Nov. 3 at the Galen Center.