Santiago Canyon College Basketball

Santiago Canyon closed the 2025–26 season with a 21–9 overall record, continuing the strong tradition and consistency of the program. The Hawks finished second in the Orange Empire Conference and extended their streak of state playoff appearances to nine consecutive seasons. SCC established itself as one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the conference, leading the league in scoring at 81.4 points per game while shooting 48.0 percent from the field and a conference best 35.2 percent from three point range. The Hawks also led the conference in three point makes and attempts, showcasing a balanced and efficient attack that ranked second in offensive efficiency (1.118). On the glass, SCC remained competitive all season, averaging 38.1 rebounds per game and finishing with a +3.3 rebounding margin.

The Hawks entered the postseason as the No. 6 seed in the Southern California Regional and earned a first round bye before protecting home court in the second round with a hard fought win over Antelope Valley. That victory advanced Santiago Canyon to the Southern California Regional Final at Cerritos, where the Hawks ultimately fell short in their pursuit of a state championship. Despite battling injuries and adversity throughout the season, SCC continued to demonstrate the toughness and resilience that have become the foundation of the program’s success.

Santiago Canyon also celebrated individual accolades as several players earned recognition on the Orange Empire All Conference teams. Jacob De Armas was named First Team All Conference after leading the team with 15.1 points per game. Dominic Bolton, Jayden Oei, and Ryan Weber earned Second Team honors, while Paris Lassiter, Chico Lopez, and Matt Mendias received Honorable Mention recognition for their outstanding contributions. With strong production across the roster and another postseason appearance, the 2025–26 Hawks added another successful chapter to a program that continues to compete at a high level year after year.

Our program is raising funds to purchase a new Dr. Dish Shooting Machine, and we would love your support. As a Top 10 team in the state with some of the best shooters in California, we are committed to continuing to develop our players at the highest level. This machine will allow us to increase repetitions, improve efficiency, and maximize gym time in ways that directly translate to game performance. Our goal is to raise $8,000 to make this investment in our student athletes and the future of our program. Any contribution, big or small, makes a real difference and helps us stay championship level. Thank you for your support and helping us continue to be the best shooting team in the state.

March 7, 2026 – CCCAA Southern California Regional Final

Santiago Canyon’s postseason run came to an end Saturday night as the Hawks fell to Cerritos 85–69 in the CCCAA Southern California Regional Final. SCC battled throughout the night against a strong Cerritos team, finishing the season with a 21–9 overall record and continuing the consistent success of the program, which has now reached the state playoffs in all nine seasons of its existence.

The Hawks entered the game shorthanded, playing without forward Chico Lopez, who suffered an injury earlier in the week during practice. Despite the absence, Santiago Canyon continued to compete with toughness and effort on both ends of the floor.

Paris Lassiter led the Hawks with 16 points and six rebounds, while Jayden Oei added 13 points off the bench. Matt Mendias contributed 12 points and six rebounds, and Cayden Hong was highly efficient in limited minutes with 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Jacob De Armas chipped in nine points and nine rebounds.

Cerritos built a 46–30 halftime lead, but Santiago Canyon showed resilience in the second half. The Hawks cut the deficit to 55–48 and had an open three point look that could have pulled them even closer. The shot narrowly missed, and Cerritos secured the rebound and converted on the other end, pushing the margin back out and regaining momentum. Santiago Canyon continued to battle the rest of the way, but the early deficit proved difficult to overcome as the Falcons closed out the win.

Rocket Henderson (Class of 2018) - Rider University, New Jersey

Adrian Dick (Class of 2019) - Wiley College, Texas

Amason Nwoye (Class of 2019) - Miles College, Alabama

Ajdin Toskic (Class of 2019) - Dickinson State University, North Dakota

Paulo Araujo (Class of 2020) - Bellevue University, Nebraska

AJ Garrity (Class of 2020) - Alaska Anchorage University, Alaska

Tyler Goodlow (Class of 2020) - Bethesda University, California

Lucas Holden (Class of 2020) - Western Washington University, Washington

Paul Vilela (Class of 2020) - Hope International University, California

Kevin Dobson (Class of 2021) - Whittier University, California

Brandon Greeen (Class of 2021) - Master's University, California

Nick Manor Hall (Class of 2021) - Whittier University, California

Jake Martin (Class of 2021) - Cal Lutheran University, California

Troy Kihm (Class of 2021) - Westmont University, California

Erik Howlin (Class of 2022) - Biola University, California

Preston Sims (Class of 2022) - Vanguard University, California

Drew Yezbek (Class of 2022) - Hawaii Hilo University, Hawaii

Jonah Simental (Class of 2022) - UC San Diego, California

Adam Holod (Class of 2023) - American University, Washington D.C.

Aaron Wadman (Class of 2023) - Hope International University, California

Zach Ibbetson (Class of 2024) - Alaska Anchorage University, Alaska

Kai Smith (Class of 2024) - Fort Wayne State College, Nebraska

EJ Bryson (Class of 2025) - Azusa Pacific University, California

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