Johnson, Byrd power Jaguars past Riverside at Moorpark Invitational

San José City College stayed unbeaten, using balanced scoring and suffocating defense to defeat Riverside City College 60–43 on Thursday afternoon at the Moorpark College Invitational.

Sophomore forward Hayley Johnson led all scorers with 17 points, nine rebounds, and five assists in a dominant all-around effort, while guard Synis Byrd added 12 points and six rebounds. The Jaguars (2–0) built an early double-digit lead and never trailed, winning their second straight by holding the Tigers (0–3) under 35 percent shooting.

Jaguars set the tone early

San José opened the game on a 13–2 run behind Johnson's inside scoring and crisp passing from point guard Emma Nijmeh, who dished out six assists. The Jaguars led 19–8 after the first quarter and extended the margin to 33–17 by halftime, limiting Riverside to just eight field goals in the opening 20 minutes.

The Tigers struggled from long range, missing their first 10 three-point attempts and finishing just 1-for-17 from deep. San José's active zone defense forced 30 turnovers, converting them into transition baskets that helped the Jaguars maintain control.

Bench gives San José a boost

Freshman forward Rian Henderson provided a spark off the bench with eight points on 4-of-5 shooting, while Madyson Wright added seven points, including a three-pointer that capped a 10–2 third-quarter run.

San José shot 41.7% from the field and assisted on 18 of its 25 made baskets, a sign of improving chemistry early in the season. Byrd hit two of SJCC's three triples, while Daven Woodham chipped in 10 points, five steals, and two assists in another strong two-way performance.

Riverside's offense stalls

Riverside was led by Michelle Soto and Alexa Moreno, who each scored eight points. The Tigers closed the game on a modest 9–2 run, but by then the Jaguars had built a 20-point cushion.

Riverside's offense faltered under San José's pressure, committing 14 fouls and managing just 11 assists to 30 turnovers. The Tigers were also outscored 33–24 on the boards and never found an answer for Johnson inside.