By Jesus Cortez, Staff Reporter
There’s no other way to put it: Toros basketball steamrolled the CCAA this season. Both the men’s and women’s teams came into the year with something to prove—albeit for different reasons—but the outcome was the same. Each squad claimed both the Regular Season and Conference Championships, leaving no doubt about who was the true bull of the wood.
For the men, it was about rewriting the ending of last season. The team finished 22-8 overall and claimed a share of the Regular Season title, but saw their postseason hopes dashed with a loss to CSULA in the Conference Tournament and an early exit against Central Washington in the NCAA Div. II Regionals.
Meanwhile, the women’s team was on a redemption arc of its own. After struggling to find its rhythm last season with a 14-14 overall record, the team seems to have rediscovered their championship form, dropping just one game all year.
With the NCAA Div. II Tournament to open for the Toros on Mar. 14, both teams appear poised to make a hard charge toward the National Championship.
Chemistry the key to success for men’s team
The Toro men’s team overcame an early road slump to end the regular season with an overall record of 25-5. Led by longtime coach Steve Becker, the team quickly found their stride, embarking on a 13-game winning streak. Along the way, the team avenged last year’s postseason loss to crosstown rival CSULA, besting the Golden Eagles at both University Gym and the Torodome.
The Toros have only lost two games since—to Cal Poly Humboldt on Jan. 25, and Chico State on Feb. 22. Senior forward Adam Afifi told The Bulletin that the team refused to let an early stumble define their run.
“We are a team of veteran players, so we didn’t panic when we lost,” said senior forward Adam Afifi. “We lost our first game to a buzzer-beater, and we felt that we really should have won.”
Afifi believes the team has everything it takes to make a statement on the court, and he credits the coaching staff’s emphasis on discipline as being essential to their success. The team doesn’t shy away from challenges, Afifi added, saying the team remained composed and focused even in the face of adversity.
“When you have a group of mature guys who are well coached, you get a healthy locker room and that helps a lot with chemistry,” Afifi said.
Chemistry on the court fueled the Toros run to the 2025 CCAA Conference Championship on Mar. 8 in storybook fashion, as they defeated both Humboldt and Chico State—avenging the previous losses once again.
Becker was also honored as CCAA Coach of the Year.
The men’s team looks to carry its momentum into the first round of the NCAA Tournament, where they will face Northwest Nazarene at Golden Gymnasium in San Diego on Mar. 14.
Toro women return to form during historic run
Despite flashes of strong play last season, inconsistency seemed to keep the Toro women’s team from reaching its full potential. That so-so finish now feels like a distant memory, especially when compared to the dominance they’ve showcased this year.
The team had a near-flawless run of the regular season, boasting one of the most impressive seasons in program history with an overall record of 31-1. The journey back to the CCAA Championship didn’t happen overnight, but started with a commitment to change before the season even began.
“Over the summer, we learned who the recruits were that were coming here, and we—the returners—kind of took it upon ourselves to get to know everybody who was joining the team to let them know what the standards are for Dominguez Hills women’s basketball,” said senior forward Asia Jordan.
The crew last year was just as talented, Jordan told The Bulletin, but they couldn’t seem to find their groove as a unit.
New recruits like senior forward Teagan Thurman and freshman guard Cristina Jones have helped everyone to find their rhythm. Alongside veterans like Jordan, a three-time letter winner, the team was ready to right the wrongs of last year.
With head coach John Bonner at the helm, the Toros made their presence known in the conference almost immediately. The squad appeared to run roughshod over the competition, racking up landslide victories against teams like Bethesda, Western Oregon, and Cal State East Bay. The Toros only stumble was a 71-75 loss to Chico State on Feb. 22.
Jordan believes the team may have become “too comfortable.”
“Coach Bonner had warned us before that these teams were going to give us the best of the best, because we are the team to beat,” Jordan explained. “The reason we didn’t win was because of poor communication, and they are a very smart offensive team.”
The Toros quickly regrouped to win their remaining four games, claiming their spot as the top team in the CCAA. “It’s truly a testament to all the hard work we’ve put in,” Thurman told The Bulletin.
“The main goal is to win the National Championship,” said Thurman. “I don’t care about personal success as long as we’re winning and I’m doing my job, whatever that job may be, which changes from game to game.”
The women’s winning record will give them home-court advantage on Mar. 14, when they face Azusa Pacific in the NCAA Regional quarterfinals at the Torodome.
