File photo/Elliot Portillo/Cal Poly Humboldt Athletics – Humboldt’s Kyle Frelow

The Cal Poly Humboldt mens basketball team got a much-needed win in the Jacks’ final game of 2024 on Saturday.

The Lumberjacks traveled to Santa Barbara and beat Westmont 79-73, holding on late despite a big comeback by the home team.

The Humboldt men started strong and held a commanding 18-point lead at halftime (46-28), shooting an impressive 54.3 percent for the opening 20 minutes.

The second half, however, was a different story as Westmont came storming back, outscoring the visitors 45-33 for the period.

But the Jacks weathered the storm and held on for the win with some timely free throws and key defensive stops.

Jamal Briscoe led the Jacks with 13 points, going a perfect 4 of 4 from the field, while teammate Aidan Fowler provided a spark off the bench with 14 points, highlighted by a flawless 6-of-6 performance from the free-throw line.

Kyle Frelow had a double-double for the Jacks and finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Rob Diaz III contributed a team-high 11 rebounds and added nine points.

With the win, the Jacks improved to 5-4 on the season.

The Humboldt women were also in action on Saturday, closing out the year with a 62-52 loss at Western Oregon.

The Lumberjacks dropped to 3-7 on the season.

Humboldt showcased resilience throughout the game, but a strong fourth-quarter performance from Western Oregon proved decisive. 

Trailing by two points heading into the final period, the Wolves outscored the Jacks 22-14 down the stretch to seal the victory.

Riley Sanz led the Jacks with 13 points, going 7-for-9 from the free-throw line and adding five rebounds.

Dylan Lovett and Kyori Lloyd each added nine points for Humboldt, with Lloyd also grabbing six boards and hitting two 3-pointers.

Humboldt’s Kaiija Lesane led all players with nine rebounds.

File photo