WEST VALLEY TO HOST HARTNELL IN CALIFORNIA JUNIOR COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL

SARATOGA, Calif. (Interstat) — A stark contrast in fortunes will be on display Wednesday when the West Valley Vikings host the Hartnell Panthers in a California Community College men’s basketball matchup.

The Vikings (17-6) enter the contest firmly in the playoff conversation, while the Panthers (0-21) continue a relentless search for their first victory of the 2025-26 season. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tipoff on Feb. 11.

West Valley, which defeated San Jose 64-54 in its last outing on Feb. 4, boasts a balanced attack but will look to standout guard CJ Willenborg to set the pace. Willenborg is coming off a dominant performance against Gavilan on Jan. 28, where he scored 24 points in just one minute of play, a line that appears to contain a statistical entry error but underscores his scoring capability. The Vikings’ offense averages over 75 points per game.

Hartnell’s season has been defined by struggle. The Panthers are averaging just 52.7 points per game and are coming off a 72-51 home loss to Cabrillo on Feb. 6. Their most recent outing was a narrow 59-57 defeat at Monterey Peninsula on Feb. 4, representing one of their closest margins of the year.

The memory of the teams’ last meeting will loom large. Just over three weeks ago, on Jan. 16, West Valley delivered a crushing 102-35 victory at Hartnell. The Panthers have lost 10 consecutive games since that defeat, all by double digits except for the two-point loss to Monterey Peninsula.

For Hartnell, the mission is to find consistent offense and disrupt West Valley’s rhythm to build confidence. For the Vikings, the focus will be on avoiding complacency against a winless opponent as they prepare for a key stretch against Monterey Peninsula and Cabrillo later this month.

Following this game, West Valley travels to face Monterey Peninsula on Friday, Feb. 13. Hartnell remains at home to host Foothill on the same date.