In a closely contested battle on December 20, 2024, the MiraCosta College Spartans narrowly defeated the Cuyamaca College Coyotes, 62-59, in front of an energetic home crowd.

The game remained tight throughout, with Cuyamaca taking a one-point lead into halftime, 32-31. However, MiraCosta's steady performance in the second half allowed them to outscore their opponents 31-27 and secure the hard-fought victory.

Key Performers

• MiraCosta's Ramel Bethea dominated the boards, grabbing 14 rebounds while contributing 16 points to lead his team in scoring.
• Benji Hilstock was lethal from beyond the arc, hitting four three-pointers on his way to 14 points.
• DaVaughn McCrumb orchestrated the offense masterfully, dishing out 9 assists to go along with his 11 points.

On the Cuyamaca side, Nico Cervantes put on an impressive scoring display, leading all players with 23 points while knocking down three shots from deep and going a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. Jamier Sykes added 12 points and 4 assists in a strong supporting effort.

Team Stats Comparison

• Field Goal Percentage:  Cuyamaca 39.2% | MiraCosta 38.2%
• Three-Point Percentage: Cuyamaca 25.0% | MiraCosta 26.7%
• Free Throw Percentage: Cuyamaca 77.8% | MiraCosta 63.2%
• Rebounds: Cuyamaca 19 | MiraCosta 36
• Assists: Cuyamaca 12 | MiraCosta 19

Despite Cuyamaca's higher efficiency at the free-throw line, MiraCosta's dominance on the glass and superior ball movement proved to be the difference.

As the Spartans move forward, they'll look to build on this momentum, while Cuyamaca will aim to bounce back in their next contest.