SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The top-seeded Cal State Dominguez Hills men's basketball team punched its ticket to the CCAA Tournament Championship game with a hard-fought 93-82 victory over No. 4 Cal Poly Humboldt on Friday afternoon at The Sports Center. With the win, the Toros improve to 24-5 overall and will play for the tournament title on Saturday, March 8, at 5 p.m. against No. 2 Chico State.
The game opened with an intense back-and-forth battle, as both teams traded baskets early. Jeremy Dent-Smith set the tone offensively, knocking down key shots from beyond the arc to give the Toros momentum. Adam Afifi was a force in the paint, securing rebounds and finishing efficiently at the rim.
Despite a strong shooting performance from Dominguez Hills, Humboldt kept pace, using its three-point shooting to stay within striking distance. The Toros entered halftime with a 46-43 lead, shooting an impressive 55.6% from the field while holding the Lumberjacks to 43.8% shooting.
Dominguez Hills took control after the break, opening the second half with a quick scoring run fueled by Afifi and Alex Garcia. The Toros' defense stepped up, forcing turnovers that led to transition buckets. Humboldt continued to fight, but Dominguez Hills responded with clutch shots down the stretch.
The Toros shot 69.2% in the second half, pulling away late to secure the victory. Dent-Smith continued his stellar play, hitting deep threes and creating scoring opportunities for his teammates. Afifi dominated inside, recording a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Toros Stat Leaders:Â
Before the game, Dominguez Hills had five players that were recognized after being named to the All-CCAA Team:
Jeremy Dent-Smith – First Team
Adam Afifi – First Team
Alex Garcia – Second Team
David Cheatom – Honorable Mention
Jordan Hilstock – Honorable Mention
Additionally, Head Coach Steve Becker was named CCAA Coach of the Year, while Hilstock earned CCAA Defensive Player of the Year honors.
With the win, the Toros advance to the CCAA Championship game against No. 2 Chico State on Saturday, March 8, at 5 p.m. as they look to capture both the regular-season and tournament titles in the same season.
