Fighting Cacti Shock #14 Santiago Canyon in Signature 68–64 Road Victory

The Copper Mountain College Men's Basketball team delivered one of the most impressive wins of their season Tuesday night, storming into Santiago Canyon's gym and never trailing on their way to a statement-making 68–64 upset over the No. 14–ranked Hawks.

From the opening tip, the Fighting Cacti imposed their will defensively, using their suffocating match-up zone to frustrate the Hawks throughout the first half. CMC's rotations were so sharp it looked as if they had seven defenders on the floor at times, holding Santiago Canyon to just 27% shooting before the break.

On the offensive end, the Cacti showed equal determination. Crisp ball movement created consistent paint touches and wide-open looks, allowing the CMC offense to flow with rhythm and efficiency. The highlight of the half came in the final seconds, when Amarion Wallace hammered home a thunderous dunk to send Copper Mountain into the locker room with a commanding 40–24 lead.

Santiago Canyon, however, refused to fold on their home court. The Hawks came out with renewed energy in the second half, forcing CMC into several rushed shots and turnovers to quickly trim the deficit to just six. But the Fighting Cacti responded like a veteran group.

A clutch three-pointer from DJ Ralston halted the Hawks' momentum, and a powerful drive to the rim by Tyrece Rose in the closing minutes helped seal the victory for Copper Mountain.

With the win, the Fighting Cacti head into conference play on a high note.

Copper Mountain will open Inland Empire Athletic Conference (IEAC) action on Saturday, December 13, traveling to Palm Desert to take on College of the Desert at 3:00 PM