MISSION VIEJO, Calif. (Interstat) — The Saddleback College men’s basketball team used a dominant second-half performance to pull away from Cypress College for an 80-65 victory in a California Community College Athletic Association game Wednesday night.

The Bobcats, playing at home, improved to 10-9 overall. The Chargers fell to 9-9.

A tightly contested first half gave way to a decisive Saddleback surge after intermission. The teams were nearly even through the opening 20 minutes, with Cypress taking a narrow 37-32 lead into the locker room. The Chargers were propelled by Michael Wright, who scored 11 of his team-high 17 points before halftime.

The complexion of the game changed dramatically in the second half. Saddleback’s offense found its rhythm, shooting a blistering 60 percent from the field after the break, while its defense clamped down. The Bobcats opened the second half on a 13-2 run to seize control, turning the five-point deficit into a 45-39 lead they would not relinquish.

Cypress struggled to keep pace, hampered by cold shooting and turnovers. The Chargers shot just 28.6 percent from the floor in the second half and committed eight of their 13 total turnovers. Saddleback, by contrast, committed only six turnovers after halftime and capitalized on its opportunities, scoring 48 points in the period.

The most important stretch of the game occurred between the 10:35 and 9:02 marks of the second quarter. With Saddleback leading 51-48, a technical foul on Cypress’s Hayden Roberts ignited a game-breaking sequence for the Bobcats. Michael Bichel made the ensuing free throw, and on the following possession, Mark Reichner connected on a 3-pointer while being fouled. He completed the four-point play, and after another Cypress foul, Christopher Williams hit two more free throws. In a span of 33 seconds, Saddleback scored seven points to extend its lead to 59-48, effectively putting the game out of reach.

Saddleback’s victory was a balanced effort. Reichner led all scorers with 16 points, including four 3-pointers. Jacob Simon added 13 points on efficient 6-of-9 shooting, and Malachi Hiers controlled the glass with nine rebounds to go with his 10 points. David Moon facilitated the offense with a game-high six assists.

For Cypress, Wright finished with 17 points, five rebounds and three assists. Mason Johnson added 14 points and five rebounds, while Zack Moritz contributed 10 points and four assists.

Saddleback’s offensive efficiency proved decisive. The Bobcats scored 80 points on just 72 possessions, an offensive rating of 111.2, while Cypress managed only 65 points on 69 possessions for a rating of 94.5. Saddleback also won despite being out-rebounded 29-24, thanks to superior shooting marks of 59.6 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from 3-point range.

Cypress will look to rebound on the road Friday at Riverside. Saddleback continues its homestand Friday against Santiago Canyon.