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#2 Jordan Torres
#2 Jordan Torres

#4S Men's Basketball opens their season defeating Fresno City and defending state champion West Valley

The defending WSC North Men's Basketball opened their season hosting Fresno City and West Valley in their own Moorpark Invitational cross-over event. The Raiders came into the opener the #4 ranked team in the South. West Valley, the defending CCCAA State Champion, came in ranked #2 in the North. Perennial state power Fresno came in #17 in the North.

The Raiders came into 2024-25 with a few new faces. Gone are All-WSCN Defensive POY Jamaal Unukalu, All-WSCN POY Jack Benyshek, and All-WSCN 1st Team Avi Harper, the nucleus of the 2024 WSC North champions. Back are Sophomores Jordan Torres, Chase Aronowitz and Kenji Cooper. Sprinkle them with a few transfers and you have this year's team.

In the opener, the Raiders fell behind early 21-9 with just over 10 minutes left in the 1st half. The Raiders went on an 11-3 run to close the gap to 24-20. The Raiders outscored the Rams 14-10 to end the first in a tie, 34-34. The Raiders trailed the entire second and it looked like Rams would run away with it. The new Raiders did not falter. Fresno City's led by as much as 14 points before the Raiders would go on a 14-4 run to cut the lead to 76-74 with 2:41 left in the game. Both teams would exchange baskets with the Raiders tying the game on Cooper Lucas free-throw at :13 left, 83-83. In the overtime period, the Raiders outscored the Rams 7-1 to get the 90-84 win.

Cooper Lucas had a game high 25 points, Jordan Torres added 20 points. Dylan Hoyt had 13 points while Kenji Cooper had 11 points.

The Raiders opened the with a 25-7 run against the defending state champion. However the Vikings were not going to go away that fast. The Vikings went on a 15-5 run to cut the lead to 30-23 with 4:30 left 1st half. The Raiders would take a 42-35 lead into the half.

The second half saw the Vikings tie the score at 42 but the Raiders answered that with a 13-5 run with 12:01 left in the game. The Raiders would extend the lead to 9 and the early deficit was too much for West Valley to overcome, 77-70, Raiders.

Jordan Torres led the Raiders with 18 points, while DaShaun Warren added 15 points.

The Raiders return to the court at the Alvin Hunter Classic against #12 West LA on Friday, 11/8, 5p hosted by San Bernardino Valley College.