Preview of Fullerton vs. Santiago Canyon Men’s Basketball

FULLERTON, Calif. (Interstat) — The top-ranked Fullerton College men’s basketball team puts its 22-1 record and lengthy win streak on the line Thursday when it hosts Santiago Canyon College in a key California community college conference matchup.

The Hornets, whose only loss this season came in November, have won 15 consecutive games. That streak includes a narrow 71-70 road victory over these same Hawks on Jan. 22. Fullerton enters the game following a dominant 95-71 win at Santa Ana last Friday, led by a 28-point performance from guard Jaqari Miles.

Miles, who scored 19 points in the first meeting against Santiago Canyon, is averaging 18.4 points over his last five games. He is a central figure for a Hornets squad that has won its last four games by an average of 28.3 points.

The visiting Hawks (16-6) aim to snap that streak and avenge their earlier one-point loss. Santiago Canyon is coming off a 76-70 home win over Irvine Valley last Friday, led by 23 points from guard Jacob De Armas.

De Armas will be a focal point for the Hawks. He nearly powered his team to victory in the January matchup, logging 36 minutes with 21 points and five assists. In his last five games, De Armas is averaging 15.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists.

Despite their strong record, the Hawks have been inconsistent in conference play, alternating wins and losses over their last six games. To challenge the state’s top team, they will need to limit turnovers and find secondary scoring behind De Armas, such as from Salim Semaan (7 points, 8 rebounds last game) and Paris Lassiter (10 points).

Fullerton’s defense has been stifling, holding opponents to an average of just 56.2 points during its current win streak. The Hornets also boast balanced scoring, with Donovan Pitts (22 points last game) and Yoda Oke (13 points, 9 rebounds) providing strong support for Miles.

Thursday’s contest is a rematch of one of the season’s closest games and represents Santiago Canyon’s most difficult test since the calendar turned to February. For Fullerton, it is another opportunity to defend its ranking and continue its march toward a conference title.

Tip-off is set for Thursday, Feb. 12, at Fullerton College.