LANCASTER, Calif. (Interstat) — In a game defined by physicality and missed opportunities, the Antelope Valley College men’s basketball team edged out College of the Canyons 68-64 in a California Community College Athletic Association contest Wednesday night.

The Marauders, despite shooting just 37.9 percent from the field, leveraged a decisive advantage at the free-throw line and a dominant performance on the glass to overcome a halftime deficit and improve to 6-7 on the season. The Cougars fell to 9-6.

The most critical phase of the game unfolded in the final 30 seconds. With Antelope Valley clinging to a 66-64 lead after Canyons’ Dwayne Boston Jr. converted a driving layup, the Cougars were forced to foul. Marauders’ guard Mister Burnside, who finished with 16 points, calmly sank both free throws with 14 seconds remaining to extend the lead to four. Canyons’ final attempt, a three-point shot from Jeremiah Williams, missed the mark, sealing the home team’s victory.

This decisive sequence capped a second-half comeback for Antelope Valley, which trailed 33-30 at halftime. The Marauders outscored Canyons 38-31 after the break, largely by attacking the basket and drawing fouls. Antelope Valley attempted 32 free throws, making 20, while Canyons went just 10 for 18 from the line.

The disparity in free-throw attempts was a product of a bruising interior battle. Antelope Valley’s Amado Coleman, the game’s top star, anchored the effort with a monstrous 18-rebound performance to go with 12 points. His work on the boards helped the Marauders to a 44-39 overall rebounding edge.

Canyons was led by Boston Jr., who scored a game-high 21 points. Craig Irons provided a strong interior presence for the Cougars with 13 rebounds and two blocks. However, Canyons struggled offensively, shooting 34.8 percent from the field and a frigid 21.4 percent from three-point range. Their 82.5 offensive rating on 78 possessions underscored an inefficient night.

Antelope Valley was only marginally more efficient, posting an 89.2 offensive rating, but did enough down the stretch. Key contributions came from Ripine Vagaia with 16 points and eight rebounds, and Trovary Cavil, who added 15 points, including two crucial free throws with 28 seconds left that pushed the lead to 66-62.

Both teams committed a nearly identical number of turnovers, with Canyons at 13 and Antelope Valley at 14, and steals were even at six and five, respectively. The difference ultimately came at the charity stripe and on the glass, areas the Marauders controlled, particularly during the game’s pivotal closing minutes.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Antelope Valley entered the game with a 63.9 percent probability to win.

Canyons looks to rebound at home against Citrus on Jan. 14. Antelope Valley travels to face Citrus on Saturday. The two teams are scheduled for a rematch at Canyons on Jan. 31.