Panthers Roll Past Imperial Valley in Home Win

The Chaffey College men's basketball team returned to the Sports Center on Thursday evening and delivered a dominant two-way performance, earning a 91-34 win over Imperial Valley College. Behind efficient shooting, a season-high defensive effort and 41 bench points, the Panthers improved to 6-6 overall and built momentum heading into conference play.

Chaffey set the tone from the opening tipoff, erupting for 58 first-half points while holding Imperial Valley to just 13. The Panthers shot 52.4 percent from the field before halftime and knocked down eight threes, fueled by Semaj Morrison's perfect 3-for-3 shooting from beyond the arc and strong interior presence from Kajuan Thomas. Chaffey's defensive pressure forced 14 first-half turnovers and limited Imperial Valley to 17.4 percent shooting from the floor.

The Panthers continued to control the contest in the second half, maintaining their defensive intensity and generating 24 fastbreak points. Chaffey's activity on the glass led to 17 second-chance points, while consistent ball movement produced 23 assists and a season-best 53 rebounds for the night.

Thomas anchored the Panthers inside with 18 points and a personal-best 15 rebounds, recording one of the strongest double-doubles of the season. Morrison followed with 17 points in 22 minutes, knocking down all five of his three-point attempts and adding two steals, marking his most efficient long-range performance of the season. Ingram was 4-for-4 at the free-throw line, totaling seven points and seven rebounds off the bench, contributing to Chaffey's sizable advantage in bench production.

Christian Walton added 10 points and five rebounds in a steady all-around outing, while Kameron Gardner posted six points, eight assists and four rebounds to direct the offense. Deisyn Payne tallied nine points on efficient 3-for-5 shooting, and Logan Jereczek finished with seven points and six rebounds while going 3-for-3 at the free-throw line. Brian Smith recorded seven points, including 2-for-2 in free-throws. Jonathan Markham added three rebounds and Gozie Ejike contributed defensively with three boards and a steal.

As a team, the Panthers shot 46.1 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from three and 68.8 percent at the line. Chaffey dominated every major statistical category, including points in the paint (46-16), points off turnovers (35-2), fastbreak points (24-0) and rebounding (53-28). The performance marked one of Chaffey's most complete defensive efforts of the season.

The Panthers will now shift their focus to conference play, traveling to face Mt. San Jacinto College on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 3 p.m. for their Inland Empire Athletic Conference opener.