TIME FOR LEAGUE

By Brandon Petersen

Westcliff men's basketball used a balanced offensive effort and a strong second half to pull away for an 82–68 win over Nobel Tuesday afternoon at Golden West.

Westcliff led 42–34 at halftime and maintained control after the break, matching that output in the second half as Nobel was unable to cut the deficit to single digits late.

The Warriors shot 54.9 percent from the field and knocked down 11 three-pointers, while forcing 17 Nobel turnovers.

Jeramiah Paulino led all scorers with 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting, adding four assists in 30 minutes. Lorenzo Marsh followed with 19 points, hitting four three-pointers and grabbing nine rebounds, while DJ Henry finished with 11 points and four assists.

Eric Clark added eight points and three steals, and Bryce Simpson contributed seven points, nine rebounds, and four assists in his first appearance of the season as Westcliff controlled the glass, outrebounding Nobel 32–24.

Westcliff head coach Jerred Cook credited Nobel for keeping the game competitive and said the win was an important step as his team continues to adjust early in the new year.

"Glad we were able to get on the other side and get a win," Cook said. "Credit to Nobel. The program is growing. They got a better team this year. They kept us on our toes the whole game."

Nobel was led by Mykale Mundy, who scored 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting and went 7-of-11 from the free-throw line. Jovan Young added 14 points, but Nobel shot just 25 percent from three-point range and committed 19 fouls, sending Westcliff to the line 22 times.

Cook said the Warriors (5-4) are still working through adjustments as new pieces are integrated into the lineup.

"For us, it's good to get a win in the new year, implementing the style and the type of things we wanted to kind of fix," Cook said. "Obviously, adding new bodies and different things, it's going to take a little time. But I'm excited about where we're moving forward with the group."

Westcliff recorded 12 steals and three blocks on the defensive end, helping offset 23 turnovers of its own.

"It's going to take continuous effort," Cook said. "But I want to continue to keep this momentum going the rest of the week."

The Warriors lace them up again Thursday and Saturday against Pacific Union and Simpson, respectively, as the games that count have arrived.

Tip Thursday at Orange Coast College is set for 6 p.m.