Royster Powers Second-Half Surge as San José City College Pulls Away From West Valley, 81–68
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
35 | 33 | 68 |
|
|
32 | 49 | 81 |
Team Stats
West Valley
| Game Statistics | West Valley | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (22-61) | (25-47) |
| Field Goal % | 36.1% | 53.2% |
| Rebounds | 31 | 36 |
| Assists | 11 | 13 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 6 |
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Taj Royster scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and San José City College used a dominant second half to pull away from West Valley for an 81–68 victory Friday night at SJCC.
The Jaguars trailed 35–32 at halftime but flipped the game after the break, outscoring West Valley 49–33 behind efficient shooting, aggressive rebounding and a steady parade to the free-throw line. San José finished the night shooting 53.2% from the field and went 28 of 34 from the stripe.
Royster powered the surge inside, hitting 8 of 15 shots and a perfect 7 for 7 from the foul line to record his double-double. Jeremiah Butler added 21 points on 6-of-11 shooting, knocking down 8 of 10 free throws while pulling down six rebounds. Ryan Baker chipped in 12 points and six rebounds, also flawless at the line (7 for 7), as the Jaguars consistently punished West Valley for fouling in the paint.
Dylan Galvan orchestrated the offense with five assists to go along with 10 points, while Muhammad Singleton added five assists and five rebounds. Savion Daniels provided a lift off the bench with nine points and four rebounds in 22 minutes.
West Valley kept things tight early, led by CJ Willenborg and David Manea, who scored 12 points apiece. Ryan Roth added 10 points off the bench for the Vikings, but West Valley struggled to find consistent offense in the second half, shooting 36.1% for the game and 29.6% from beyond the arc.
San José took control midway through the second half with a decisive run fueled by defensive stops and second-chance opportunities. The Jaguars finished with a 36–31 rebounding edge and limited West Valley to just 11 assists on 22 made field goals.
Despite a technical foul assessed to Royster late in the game, San José maintained its composure and closed out the win at the line.
The victory underscores the Jaguars' ability to adjust and respond, turning a narrow halftime deficit into a convincing home win through physical play, balanced scoring and poise down the stretch.
