Basketball Recap: Lucerne Valley Gets the Win

Lucerne Valley had to kick off their season on the road on Monday, but they showed no ill effects. They walked away with a 53-40 win over the Bethel Christian Kings. For the Mustangs, this counts as revenge for the 59-29 victory the Kings walked away with the last time they faced one another back in December of 2023.

Anthony Navarro

Rebounds (Career)

11/17/25 vs Bethel Christian	8
12/30/24 vs Paradise Adventist Academy	6
01/14/25 vs Mojave	5
01/13/25 vs Victor Valley Christian	5
12/03/24 @ Baker	5

Anthony Navarro was nothing short of spectacular: he shot 50% from the field en route to 16 points in addition to eight rebounds and three steals. Those eight boards gave him a new career-high. Bryan Baxter was another key player, putting up four points and four steals.

Lucerne Valley smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 32 offensive rebounds. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Bethel Christian only pulled down nine.

Bethel Christian's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Joseph Kyababchian, who posted 12 points along with seven steals and six assists, and Cesar Contreras, who dropped a double-double with 14 points and 17 rebounds. Kyababchian is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in each of the last three games he's played dating back to last season.

Lucerne Valley didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next matchup, a 58-19 defeat against Academy of Careers & Exploration on the 17th. As for Bethel Christian, they have also already played their next contest, a 70-34 loss against Hesperia Christian on the 18th.