Cuesta's basketball teams both completed their 2025-26 campaign with a loss in Santa Barbara last Friday. 

 

The men, who beat the Vaqueros in the first round, fell in a barnburner, 94-81, despite four of their five starters scoring in double-digits.  Guards Aiden Pearsall-Morgan and James Nugent (pict) both netted 14 points in the game, but every Cougar on the floor scored in the game.  The Cougars grew and improved all the way through their first season under Coach Jamoni Barber, who, after a 0-6 start to his tenure, led the Cougars to a 10-18 overall record and 5-7 record against a stacked Western State Conference.  The Cougars record including six losses against the circuit's trio of playoff teams.  Coach Barber's 10-win season distinguished him as the only Cuesta coach, of the four since 1965, to post double-digit wins in his inaugural campaign. 

 

The women lost, 73-49, in Santa Barbara, despite a 20-point performance from Freshman Guard Charlotte Hasson.  The loss dropped the Cougars' final season record to 11-17 overall and 2-10 against the WSC loop.  The Cougars, who were a playoff team in 2025, finished in 5th place in the WSC.  

 

Note- The 2026 All-Western State Conference selections shall be announced at the conclusion of the playoffs.