NORWALK, Calif. (Interstat) — The Cerritos College Falcons used a dominant first half to cruise past the Los Angeles Valley College Monarchs 81-60 in a men’s junior college basketball game Saturday.

Cerritos established control from the opening tip, building a double-digit lead less than six minutes into the game and never looking back. The Falcons shot efficiently and capitalized on a barrage of Monarch turnovers to take a commanding 81-41 lead into halftime. The second half was a formality, with both teams playing to the final buzzer without adding to the score.

The most important part of the game was Cerritos’ overwhelming first-quarter performance, which effectively decided the contest. The Falcons opened the game on a 17-4 run, fueled by early three-pointers from Elijah Gelin and stifling defense that forced four Los Angeles Valley turnovers in the first five minutes. While the Monarchs briefly found a rhythm to pull within 24-22 late in the period, Cerritos closed the quarter on a devastating 17-8 burst. Isaac Sowell was instrumental during this stretch, scoring twice in the paint, and Derek Curry’s three-pointer at the buzzer gave the Falcons a 41-31 lead and all the momentum.

That momentum carried into a second quarter where Cerritos utterly dominated. The Falcons opened the period with a 10-2 run, extending their lead to 18 points. Los Angeles Valley’s offensive struggles intensified, managing only 29 points in the half while committing 12 turnovers, which Cerritos converted into easy transition opportunities. The Falcons’ lead ballooned to 40 points by halftime, putting the game out of reach.

Isaac Sowell led a balanced Cerritos attack with 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Kamaury Washington added 16 points and four assists, while David Mack scored 13 points, all in the first half. The Falcons shared the ball effectively, tallying eight assists on 31 made field goals, and their defense was relentless, recording eight steals and forcing 20 Monarch turnovers.

For Los Angeles Valley, Will Young and Derek Peterson each scored 14 points. Andy Porcayo added eight points and five rebounds. The Monarchs were hampered by poor shooting, connecting on just 38.9 percent from the field and 22.7 percent from three-point range. Their 20 turnovers led directly to 28 points for Cerritos.

Cerritos improved its season record to 9-2, while Los Angeles Valley fell to 5-5. The Falcons, who entered the game with a 98.4 percent probability to win according to Interstat’s ELO system, validated that projection with their performance.

Cerritos next hosts East Los Angeles on Wednesday. Los Angeles Valley returns home to face Cypress, also on Wednesday.