(Interstat) — In a tightly contested California junior college men’s basketball game Wednesday night, the visiting Cypress Chargers avenged an earlier loss by holding off the Riverside Tigers 88 to 82.

The game, a critical Orange Empire Conference matchup, saw both teams enter and leave with identical 15-11 overall records. The result flipped the script from their Jan. 23 meeting, which Riverside won decisively on Cypress’s home floor.

The most important part of the game was Cypress’s ability to maintain a narrow but persistent lead through a high-paced, offensively charged second quarter. Despite Riverside shooting an efficient 50% from the field and matching Cypress with 14 made 3-pointers, the Chargers won the game at the free throw line and by capitalizing on Tiger mistakes. Cypress attempted 11 more free throws and made 12 more, finishing 20 of 27. Riverside also committed 11 turnovers to Cypress’s seven, providing the slim margin in a game where possessions were at a premium.

Cypress set a frantic offensive pace early, taking an 88 to 82 lead after a first quarter that saw the teams combine for 84 points. The Chargers’ Michael Wright, the game’s top star, was instrumental in establishing that lead, scoring 12 of his game-high 26 points in the opening period. Riverside’s Kollen Murphy kept pace, scoring 10 in the quarter, but Cypress never trailed after the 7:27 mark of the first.

The second quarter continued the offensive display, but Cypress consistently answered every Riverside push. Each time the Tigers closed the gap to a single possession, the Chargers responded with a key basket or a trip to the foul line. A driving layup by Riverside’s Jabari Harris cut the Cypress lead to 88 to 82 with 6:40 remaining, but Zack Moritz immediately answered with a 3-pointer for the Chargers. With 1:05 left, a Tylon Williams jump shot brought Riverside to 88 to 82, but Wright and Moritz combined to make four crucial free throws in the final 41 seconds to seal the victory.

Wright led all scorers with 26 points and added nine rebounds. Moritz provided a complete line for Cypress with 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Amaan Zavahir came off the bench to score 12 points, all on 3-pointers in the first quarter, providing a critical spark.

For Riverside, Murphy led the way with 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Williams added 16 points, while Harris and Jayden Harper contributed 11 and 12 points, respectively.

Statistically, the game was remarkably even in many categories. Both teams had 33 total rebounds, three assists and three steals. The differences came in efficiency and discipline. Cypress posted an offensive rating of 129.7 points per 100 possessions, significantly outperforming Riverside’s 114.5, thanks largely to their success from the charity stripe and fewer empty trips.

The win gives Cypress momentum heading into its next game Friday at home against Santa Ana. Riverside will look to rebound on the road the same night at Santiago Canyon. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Riverside had been projected with a 66.1% probability to win Wednesday’s contest, making the Chargers’ road victory a notable upset.