LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — The Mount San Antonio men’s basketball team used a dominant second quarter to pull away from Los Angeles City College and secure a 67-55 victory in a California Community College Athletic Association game Friday night.

The visiting Mounties, who entered the contest with a 21-4 record, found themselves in an early shootout, trailing the Cubs 36-34 after a high-scoring first quarter. The game’s complexion shifted entirely in the second period, as Mount San Antonio’s defense clamped down while its offense found a steady rhythm.

Mount San Antonio outscored Los Angeles City 33-19 in the decisive second quarter. The Mounties forced eight Cubs turnovers in the period, converting them into easy transition opportunities to build a lead that would not be challenged again. The Cubs, who shot 50 percent from the floor in the first quarter, were held to just 31.6 percent shooting in the second.

Dayvon Gates led all scorers with 24 points for Mount San Antonio, adding seven rebounds and eight assists. His all-around performance paced the Mounties, especially during the critical second-quarter run. Ryan Wheeler controlled the glass with 11 rebounds, while Omari Abdallah contributed nine points.

For Los Angeles City, Devean Mpoupe-Singui delivered a strong individual effort with 22 points and seven rebounds. Kye Usher-Brown added 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists, but the Cubs struggled to find consistent offense outside of that duo.

The statistical sheet underscored Mount San Antonio’s control. The Mounties outrebounded the Cubs 43-33, including a 15-10 edge on the offensive glass that led to 14 second-chance points. Mount San Antonio also tallied 11 steals, leading to 19 points off 16 Los Angeles City turnovers. The Mounties’ assist total more than doubled that of the Cubs, 11 to five, indicating superior ball movement.

Despite the win, Mount San Antonio struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 4 of 19 three-point attempts. Los Angeles City shot better from deep, making 9 of 26, but was hampered by a 4-for-9 night at the free-throw line and an overall field goal percentage of 34.4 percent.

The victory improves Mount San Antonio’s season record to 22-4, solidifying its position near the top of the conference standings. Los Angeles City falls to 4-23 with the loss.

The most important sequence of the game occurred in the first five minutes of the second quarter. With Mount San Antonio leading 39-36, the Mounties unleashed a 13-3 run. It began with a Jeremy Williams steal leading to an Omari Abdallah dunk, included a three-point play by Dayvon Gates, and was capped by a Gates jump shot that forced a Los Angeles City timeout with the score 52-39. This stretch transformed a narrow three-point edge into a commanding double-digit lead from which the Cubs never recovered, as their offense went cold and their turnovers mounted.

The two teams had met just over two weeks prior on Feb. 4, with Mount San Antonio earning a 75-57 home victory. The Mounties have now won five of their last six games.