By The Beach men’s basketball team earned its fifth consecutive win with a commanding 107-78 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills on Tuesday at the Walter Pyramid.
The 29-point victory improved The Beach’s to 8–4 on the season and 3–0 at home.
“I really think this team has a good attitude. Unselfish with the way they play and they’re fun to watch,” head coach Dan Monson said.
The Beach got off to a quick start, hitting 12 of their first 14 shot attempts from the field and lead 32–22 early.
Junior guard Jadon Jones jump-started Long Beach’s offense by hitting three consecutive 3-pointers to open the game, propelling their momentum into halftime with 16 points.
“I had a great game, but it was a great team effort, and I can’t do it without all the pieces to the puzzle,” Jones said.
12/20/2023 - Jadon Jones lets it fly from behind the arc. Photo credit: John Fajardo/LBSU Athletics.
The junior guard finished with a game-high 23 points on 3-for-6 shooting from three and 6-for-9 overall from the field.
The Beach did not slow down after halftime as it outscored the Toros 45–36 in the second half and eased to its eighth win of the season.
Junior forward Lassina Traore and senior forward Amari Stroud dominated on the boards and contributed inside immensely for The Beach. Traore secured his sixth double-double of the season scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds while Stroud concluded with 13 points and four rebounds in the win.
Senior guard Marcus Tsohonis was the only other Long Beach player to score in double figures, boasting a game-high plus/minus of +26 while contributing 12 points, four assists and two steals.
The Beach’s starting unit accounted for 70 of its 107 points, showcasing just how explosive offensively they can be.
“We have one of the most talented rosters in the country,” Jones said. “We have five to seven guys that can win you a game if they really need to.”
The Beach’s chemistry has continued to climb as the season is progressing, showing in the game’s final minutes when bench players senior center Jeffrey Yan and sophomore guard Maddox Monson scored. The Beach’s main rotation players roared in celebration for the two, with junior forward Aboubacar Traore climbing the back of senior center Chayce Polynice while waving a white towel.
“We all like each other, which I think is really rare,” Jones said. “We do stuff outside of basketball, which has been really big for our organization.”
According to Monson, senior guard Messiah Thompson was sidelined due to back spasms despite going through warmups and being suited to play.
The Beach will look to extend their win streak on Thursday, Dec. 28, at 7 p.m. as they face Big West rival Cal State Fullerton at the Titan Gym.
