CARSON — In an electrifying finish to a closely contested game, the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros clinched a thrilling 64-62 victory over the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos, after a spectacular dunk by
Andre Ball in the final moments.
The match started off on an evenly matched note, with both teams displaying strong offense and defense. Cal Poly Pomona slightly edged out the Toros in the first half, leading 29-27 at the break. The slim margin set the stage for an intense and competitive second half.
The Toros, demonstrating resilience and strategic play, outscored Cal Poly Pomona in the second half 37-33. In the final six seconds,
Jeremy Dent-Smith found
Andre Ball who delivered a decisive dunk that extended the Toros' lead and sealed the victory, 64-62.
"It's hard to win in the CCAA and I'm glad we came out on top tonight" said coach
Steve Becker. "I thought we took a step in the right direction on the glass, our guards got in there and scrapped. Credit to Pomona, their zone gave us problems and we never found a rhythm all night. We need to get better next week as we head up to San Francisco State and Cal State East Bay."
Alex Garcia was the standout scorer for the Toros, notching 17 points in 34 minutes. Garcia shot 6-15 from the field, including 3-8 from three-point range, and was perfect from the free-throw line, hitting 2-2. He also contributed six rebounds and a block, showcasing his all-around impact on the game.
Andre Ball also made a significant contribution with 12 points in 20 minutes. Ball was efficient in his shooting, going 3-5 from the field and 1-1 from beyond the arc. He also added four rebounds to his stat line.
Jeremy Dent-Smith added 11 points and was a key player on the boards, as he grabbed seven rebounds. He shot 2-10 from the field and 1-7 from three-point range but made a significant impact at the free-throw line, sinking 6 of 8 attempts. Dent-Smith also contributed two assists and three steals.
Za-Ontay Boothman provided valuable support off the bench, scoring 13 points in 25 minutes. He shot 5-14 overall and 3-11 from the three-point line, adding six rebounds to his performance.
Jakob Alamudun, while scoring five points, was a dominant force in rebounding, pulling down nine boards. He also dished out five assists, contributing to the team's offensive flow.
The Toros hit the road next week as they take on San Francisco State on Thursday, January 11
th with tip-off set for 7:30pm.
