Fighting Cacti Open Season with Dominant 96–69 Win Over Imperial Valley College

The Copper Mountain College Men's Basketball team tipped off the 2025–26 season in impressive fashion with a commanding 96–69 victory over Imperial Valley College in the opening round of the Battle in the Desert Tip-Offtournament.

The Fighting Cacti set the tone early with relentless defensive pressure and an up-tempo offensive attack that kept the Arabs on their heels all night. CMC forced numerous turnovers that turned into fast-break opportunities and easy transition baskets, showcasing their trademark team-first intensity.

Leading the way for Copper Mountain was Amarion Wallace, who poured in 20 points to pace the Cacti offense. Tyrece Rose and Torey Woods added 12 points apiece, while every player on the roster contributed to the scoring column in a balanced team effort.

Head Coach JJ Santa Cruz praised his team's defensive energy and unselfish play:

"Our guys really committed to playing together on both ends of the floor," said Coach JJ Santa Cruz. "We wanted to dictate the pace, and I thought our pressure and teamwork did exactly that."

With the victory, Copper Mountain advances to the second round of the Battle in the Desert Tip-Off, where they'll face Palomar College tomorrow at 12 p.m.