San Diego State’s women’s basketball team continued its best start in 37 seasons with a 61-58 win at Cal State Fullerton last week, while Palomar College placed third in the California Community College State Wrestling Championships while producing two individual winners for the first time since 2016.

Freshmen Caden Hanover (Poway High School) and Diego Peraza (Chula Vista High School) won state titles for the Comets at 125 and 141 pounds, respectively.

Peraza, a member of Mexico’s Under-20 National Team, was also the tourney’s No. 1 seed at his weight; Hanover was the No. 6 seed. Palomar’s Anthony Perez (La Costa Canyon High School) was the runner-up at 157 pounds.

Ivan Natceli (Temecula Chaparral High School) placed third at 184 pounds. Dylan Henry (Madison High School) was fourth at 197 pounds, while DJ Weimer (165 pounds) and heavyweight Mustafa Farha (Poway High School) both finished seventh.

Meanwhile, San Diego State’s women’s basketball team will take a 10-1 record into this week’s San Diego Classic at Viejas Arena. The Aztecs will play Stephen F. Austin Thursday and Hawaii on  Saturday. Both games will start at 3:30 p.m. It is the Aztec women’s fastest start since the 1988-89 team opened with 14 straight wins.

Senior forward Adryana Quezada and freshman guard Naomi Panganiban (La Jolla Country Day) each came off the bench to score 17 points for the Aztecs against Fullerton. Erin Houpt scored 12 points. Panganiban on Monday was named Mountain West Freshman of the Week.

The Aztecs aren’t the only local college basketball team off to a fast start. Pont Loma Nazarene has won seven straight to improve to 9-3 overall and 4-0 in PacWest play.  All five starters scored eight or more points as the Sea Lions scored a 51-47 win at Concordia. Kaylee Byon led the Sea Lions with 11.

UCSD’s women (3-8) defeated Cal Baptist 81-58 at home Saturday for a second straight win. Sophomore guard Sumayah Sugapong (La Jolla Country Day) led the Tritons with 24 points and seven assists. Senior forward Damilola Sule had 18 points and 12 rebounds. Junior guard Sabrina Ma scored 16 points.

And all 13 players for the University of San Diego women scored in the 4-5 Toreros’ 74-52 win at home over Cal State Northridge. Senior guards Ava Ranson (11 points) and Kylie Horstmeyer (10) led USD.

Elsewhere:

• MiraCosta College’s men’s basketball team (7-3) has won seven straight games. Freshman forward/center Ramel Bethea scored 21 points, while guard Benji Hilstock (Vista High) and reserves John Hapgood (San Dieguito Academy) and Pearse Long all scored 11 points in MiraCosta’s 88-62 win over Orange Coast College on Wednesday.

• San Diego City College’s men are 8-4 and ranked seventh in the state. City College defeated Modesto 57-52 Saturday, a day after losing 66-56 to Los Angeles Valley College at the Fullerton College Classic. Sophomore guard Logan Huston (Torrey Pines High School) led the Knights with 32 points and 14 rebounds in the two games.

• Freshman guards Matin Madadkar and Isiah Tolmaire (El Camino High School) scored 21 and 20 points, respectively, as Palomar College’s men’s team (6-5) defeated Orange Coast 79-60 at home. PCAC conference play opens Wednesday night with MiraCosta at Mesa (4-5), San Diego City at Grossmont (0-10), Palomar at Southwestern (5-5) and San Diego Miramar (4-6) at Cuyamaca (5-4).

• Grossmont College’s women’s basketball team defeated Riverside City College 69-64 on Friday behind 13 points apiece from Janea Wilson (Steele Canyon High School) and Anayla Anderson. Grossmont is 9-2.

• Cuyamaca College’s women are 6-2 after defeating Southwestern College in a pair of nonconference games.  San Diego City College has won five straight games to get back to 7-7.

Originally Published: December 16, 2024 at 1:43 PM PST