File photo

The Corsairs defense never got control in a challenging matchup at Shasta College over the weekend, as the College of the Redwoods men dropped their second conference game on the basketball court, falling 90-81.

Just three days after getting the better of Butte in their Golden Valley Conference opener, the CR men were unable to keep the fast start going.

“There is no way to spin it, this one really punched us in the gut,” CR head coach Ryan Bisio said. “Shasta overwhelmed our defense at every level and we never found our footing.”

The Corsairs trailed 46-40 at halftime.

“Hats off to Shasta, they had a clear plan and they stayed the course,” Bisio added. “Their talent level really pops and they’re playing some good basketball right now.”

Mason Mottashed scored a team-high 19 points for the Corsairs, who dropped to 1-1- in the GVC and 14-6 overall.

CR’s Brandon Lucas also impressed at the offensive end and finished with 18 points, while Alfonso Medina added 14 points.

It wasn’t all bad news for the Corsairs, who hit 11 3-pointers and had plenty of offense.

“We did a good job of staying poised and answering their barrages,” Bisio said. “If you score 81 points on the road in the GVC, you’ve gotta find a way to win that game.

“We feel good about our offensive resiliency. Obviously, our defense needs to be addressed immediately.”

The CR men will try to bounce back when they host Siskiyous (0-2 in the GVC and 9-11 overall) on Saturday, with tip off set for 1 p.m.