Behind a strong second-half effort and a dominant performance at the free throw line, the Cerritos College men's basketball team secured a 64–59 South Coast Conference victory over El Camino College on Friday evening at The Aviary.

The Falcons were led by Dorian Tate, who turned in a game-high 21 points and 11 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Tate was aggressive throughout the night, going 9-for-11 from the free-throw line while pulling down seven offensive boards to create multiple second-chance opportunities.

Cerritos leaned on its physicality inside, outrebounding El Camino 38–28, including 15 offensive rebounds, which helped offset a cold shooting night from beyond the arc. The Falcons finished just 1-for-15 from three-point range, but made up the difference by attacking the basket and converting 23 of 30 free throws.

El Camino kept the game close throughout, shooting 42 percent from the field and knocking down seven three-pointers. The visitors cut the deficit to two points late in the second half, but Cerritos answered with timely stops and clutch free throws down the stretch.

DJ Holt chipped in 11 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 performance at the line, while Kamaury Washington contributed a well-rounded effort with 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Isaac Sowell added nine points and six rebounds to bolster the Falcons frontcourt.

Cerritos' defense forced 18 El Camino turnovers, turning them into key scoring chances in a tightly contested conference matchup.

The Falcons will look to build on the momentum as South Coast Conference play continues next week.