Preview: Santa Monica Corsairs at Los Angeles Valley Monarchs

LOS ANGELES VALLEY COLLEGE (Interstat) — Two men’s junior college basketball teams seeking to halt lengthy slides will meet Wednesday when the Santa Monica College Corsairs visit the Los Angeles Valley College Monarchs.

Both teams enter the California Community College Athletic Association matchup with identical 0-5 records in conference play and five wins overall. Santa Monica (5-17) has lost six consecutive games. Los Angeles Valley (5-15) is mired in a 10-game losing streak, its last victory coming on Dec. 13, 2025.

The Monarchs will look for revenge after falling 74-68 at Santa Monica on Jan. 10. In that game, Valley’s Deng Lual logged 35 minutes, scoring 11 points with seven rebounds and two blocks. Lual, a key player to watch, is coming off a near double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds in a 119-72 loss at Citrus on Saturday.

Santa Monica’s recent struggles continued with a 83-74 home loss to Bakersfield that same day. The Corsairs were led by Ka’mari Johnson, who posted a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Johnson, averaging a double-double in his last five games, will be a focal point for the Corsairs’ offense.

Both defenses have been vulnerable. Santa Monica has allowed an average of 88.2 points during its six-game skid. Los Angeles Valley’s streak includes several lopsided defeats, conceding an average of 96.3 points over its last 10 contests.

The game tips off at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at Los Angeles Valley College. Following this contest, the Monarchs host West Los Angeles on Saturday. Santa Monica’s next game is at home against Citrus on Feb. 11.