Mount San Jacinto Set to Host Struggling Palo Verde in Men’s Junior College Basketball

SAN JACINTO, Calif. (Interstat) — A stark contrast in trajectories will be on display Saturday when the Mount San Jacinto Eagles host the Palo Verde Pirates in a California community college men’s basketball matchup.

The Eagles (12-6) enter the contest looking to build momentum after a 66-59 road win at Cerro Coso on Wednesday. They will face a Pirates squad mired in a difficult season, carrying a 3-14 overall record and coming off a 111-82 home loss to Desert on Jan. 14.

Mount San Jacinto has found consistency in recent weeks, winning three of its last four games. A key catalyst has been Willie Miller, who is coming off a standout performance. In the win over Cerro Coso, Miller logged 29 minutes, scoring 19 points with five rebounds, five assists and a block. His season highlight was a triple-double — 14 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists — in a 96-91 victory at Desert on Jan. 3.

The Pirates have struggled to find defensive answers, allowing an average of 94.6 points in their last five games, all losses. Their most recent win was an 88-83 victory at Barstow on Dec. 17. The team will need a significant defensive improvement to challenge the balanced Eagles attack.

For Mount San Jacinto, supporting Miller in the Jan. 14 win were Adrian Mosley with 14 points and six rebounds, and Daniel Crawford with nine points.

The Eagles have been strong at home this season, boasting notable victories over Barstow and Chaffey in San Jacinto. Palo Verde has yet to win a road game in the 2025-26 campaign.

Saturday’s game is the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams. They are scheduled to meet again at Palo Verde on Wednesday, Feb. 18.

Tip-off is set for Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026.