FULLERTON, Calif. (Interstat) — The Fullerton Hornets remained undefeated, fending off a gritty West Valley Vikings team 59-53 in a defensive struggle in a California Community College Athletic Association men’s basketball game on Thursday night.

Despite a significant rebounding disadvantage and poor shooting from the field, the Hornets leveraged a decisive advantage at the free-throw line to secure the victory and improve their season record to 2-0. The Vikings, coming off a season-opening win, fell to 1-1.

The game was characterized by sloppy offense and physical defense from the opening tip. Fullerton built an early lead, capitalizing on West Valley turnovers and fouls to take a 25-18 advantage after the first quarter. The Hornets’ MJ Smith provided an early spark, scoring nine points in the period, including a three-pointer and a pair of dunks that energized the home crowd.

West Valley struggled to find any offensive rhythm throughout the contest. The Vikings shot a dismal 36 percent from the floor and were an ice-cold 2 of 18 from three-point range. Their offensive woes were compounded by 19 turnovers, which Fullerton converted into critical points.

The Vikings, however, dominated the glass, hauling in 45 total rebounds to Fullerton’s 33. Their 18 offensive rebounds gave them numerous second-chance opportunities, but they frequently failed to convert. William Amoah led the rebounding effort for West Valley, grabbing a game-high 12 boards to go with 11 points. Teammate Caleb Asante added 14 points and three blocks.

Fullerton’s offense was not much more efficient, shooting just 34 percent from the field. The difference came at the charity stripe, where the Hornets attempted 26 free throws, making 19. West Valley, by contrast, went to the line only 12 times, making seven.

Jaqari Miles led all scorers with 16 points for Fullerton, with 11 of those coming from the free-throw line. Brayden Smith was also instrumental in the win, contributing 13 points, including several key free throws down the stretch, and playing disruptive defense.

The Vikings chipped away at the lead in the second quarter, using their interior presence to close the gap. A layup by Caleb Asante with 47 seconds remaining brought West Valley within a single point at 56-55. But the Hornets closed the game out at the line, with Miles sinking four consecutive free throws in the final four seconds to seal the six-point victory.

Isaiah Ackerman facilitated the West Valley offense with four assists, while Trey Thompson led Fullerton with five assists.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Fullerton entered the game with an 86.5 percent probability to win.

West Valley looks to rebound on Friday, November 7, when they host San Diego City. Fullerton continues its homestand the same night, facing Yuba.