Posted: Jan 29, 2026
SMCC Men's Basketball Downs Premier Prep. 101-59
Premier Prep
59
South Mountain Community College
(18-4)
101
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Premier Prep | 22 | 37 | 59 |
|
South Mountain Community College (18-4) | 48 | 53 | 101 |
PHOENIX ---
The South Mountain Community College men's basketball team (18-4) defeated Premier Prep 101-59 in a non-conference contest at the SMCC Gym on Wednesday, Jan. 28. Sophomore Blake Carabio scored 20 points to lead five Cougars in double-figures, and SMCC dished out 23 assists in the win.
After Premier Prep raced out to a 15-11 lead, the Cougars went on a 17-3 run to take a 29-18 lead with seven minutes to play in the first half. SMCC eventually led 48-22 at halftime as it shot 45.7 percent (16 of 35) from the field with six 3-pointers.
In the second half, the Cougars continued to apply consistent pressure to the Volunteers and won the frame 53-37. SMCC shot 37 of 71 overall (52.1 percent) in the victory, totaling 12 3-pointers, 47 rebounds, 23 assists, and 13 steals.
The Cougars out-scored the Volunteers 42-14 in the paint, scored 35 points off 20 turnovers, and finished with 14 fast-break points.
"I thought Premier Prep played hard and we didn't match their intensity. To give up 59 points is unacceptable and, as a program, we have to battle complacency over the last eight games of the regular season," said SMCC head coach Cory Hoff. "It's normal for young student-athletes to fall into that trap and I have to be better as a leader to prevent that. I'm glad to see we scored 101 tonight. We enter a crucial two-game span at home that is extremely important in the conference race. We hope to see more fans in the stands for our home games as we push for seeding down the home stretch."
Carabio went 6 of 8 from the floor and 5 of 7 from downtown in 22 minutes to finish with 20 points. He added three assists, two rebounds, and a steal.
Freshman Travis Vasquez was second on the team with 14 points and tied for the team lead with five assists. He also produced three rebounds, three 3-pointers, and a steal in 30 minutes.
Sophomore Parker Escalante and freshmen I'yar Shadowvine and Gak Kueth all had 13 points in the win. Kueth finished one point short of season high after finishing 6 of 7 from the field. He added seven rebounds and a steal in 24 minutes.
Shadowvine was 5 of 11 from the floor with a pair of 3-pointers in 21 minutes off the bench. He added three rebounds and an assist. Escalante was 5 of 8 from the field and led SMCC with five steals. He added three assists and two rebounds.
Freshmen Jadden Jones and Semajay James tied for the team lead with nine rebounds apiece. James also tied for the team lead with five assists and added two steals and two points in 19 minutes. Jones produced seven points, four assists, and two steals in 21 minutes in addition to his work on the glass.
Freshman Devone Pless posted nine points, three rebounds, and a steal, while freshman Dylan Eaddy had four points and six rebounds. Sophomore Brandon Mangahas posted six points and two rebounds.
