CARSON, Calif. — The Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros used a strong second-half performance to pull away from Sonoma State, securing an 86-69 victory on Thursday night at the Torodome. The Toros improved to 15-4 overall and 12-1 in CCAA play, bouncing back in dominant fashion to remain at the top of the conference standings.
The first half was a tightly contested battle, with both teams trading baskets early. The Toros shot 38.2% from the field but managed to build a slim 36-34 lead heading into halftime. Adam Afifi led the charge inside, scoring eight points and grabbing seven rebounds in the opening half, while Alex Garcia and Jeremy Dent-Smith each contributed key three-pointers to maintain the edge. Defensively, Dominguez Hills forced six turnovers and held Sonoma State to 48.1% shooting.
The second half was all Toros, as they came out firing and outscored Sonoma State 50-35. Dominguez Hills shot an impressive 60.7% from the field in the final 20 minutes, including 7-for-12 from beyond the arc. Afifi continued to dominate, finishing with a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Garcia was efficient, adding 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting. DJ Guest and Isaiah Bernard-Lopez provided crucial production off the bench, combining for 28 points to help Dominguez Hills pull away.
Afifi led the way with 16 points, 13 rebounds, and two steals, controlling the paint throughout the game. Guest added 14 points and five rebounds, while Bernard-Lopez also scored 14, shooting 4-for-6 from the field. Garcia tallied 13 points, three assists, and two steals, and Dent-Smith contributed 10 points, four assists, and three steals. David Cheatom knocked down two three-pointers to finish with nine points, and Jordan Hilstock filled the stat sheet with eight points, six rebounds, and a block.
The Toros shot 48.4% overall and dominated on the defensive end, forcing 16 turnovers that led to 23 points. Dominguez Hills also controlled the glass with a 38-27 rebounding advantage and outscored Sonoma State 30-16 in bench points.
The Toros will remain home to face Cal State San Marcos on Saturday, February 1, at 3:30 p.m. in another key CCAA matchup.
