The MiraCosta College Spartans started the new year strong with a hard-fought 64-59 road victory over Imperial Valley on January 2, 2025. A dominant first half gave MiraCosta a 37-20 lead at the break, but a furious comeback by Imperial Valley in the second half made for an intense finish. Despite being outscored 39-27 in the final period, MiraCosta held on to secure the win.

Key Performers

• Pearse Long led the charge for MiraCosta with a standout double-double performance, dropping 22 points while grabbing 14 rebounds. He also shot efficiently, hitting 7 of 10 field goals and 4 of 7 from beyond the arc.
• Ramel Bethea contributed across the board with 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 blocks, making his presence felt on both ends of the floor.
• John Hapgood added 8 points and 5 rebounds while dishing out 3 assists.
• DaVaughn McCrumb facilitated the offense well with a team-high 5 assists, despite a tough shooting night.

For Imperial Valley, Landon Blaisdell was on fire from deep, hitting 5 of 8 three-pointers on his way to a team-high 19 points. Jacob Vargas fought through a rough shooting night (6-21 FG) to add 13 points, while Aaron Tabarez provided 12 points and 7 assists.

Team Stats Comparison

• Field Goal Percentage: MiraCosta 39.7% | Imperial Valley 36.4%
• Three-Point Percentage: MiraCosta 33.3% | Imperial Valley 29.6%
• Free Throw Percentage: MiraCosta 55.6% | Imperial Valley 78.6%
• Rebounds: MiraCosta 47 | Imperial Valley 19
• Assists: MiraCosta 15 | Imperial Valley 10
• Turnovers: MiraCosta 21 | Imperial Valley 15

MiraCosta's dominance on the boards played a crucial role in securing the win, as they nearly doubled Imperial Valley's rebound total (47-19). Despite struggling from the free-throw line (10-18), their strong defensive presence—led by Bethea's 5 blocks—helped hold off Imperial Valley's late rally.

With this victory, MiraCosta looks to carry momentum forward, while Imperial Valley will regroup and aim for a bounce-back performance in their next matchup.