Young Brahmas Show Promise Despite 67-58 Loss to Aliso Niguel (Photos, Video, Recap & Stats)

In a Tuesday night matchup showcasing veteran leadership and emerging talent, the Diamond Bar Brahmas (4-7) fell to the visiting Aliso Niguel Wolverines (8-2) 67-58 despite a strong 21-point performance from senior Max Gao.

The game marked another chapter in first-year head coach Christian Manalo’s return to Diamond Bar, where he once starred as a three-year All-League point guard before building his coaching resume at Northwood.

The Wolverines, known for their perimeter shooting prowess, lived up to their reputation early, connecting on 10 of 29 attempts from beyond the arc. Their offensive firepower helped them establish an 18-14 lead after the first quarter, which they extended to 35-30 by halftime.

Diamond Bar’s sophomore sensation Tyler West, who entered the game averaging 26 points, contributed 16 points, including multiple three-pointers. The Brahmas as a team showed their own shooting touch, converting 8 of 21 from long range.

Brahmas Sophomore Tyler West with the three-point basket in the game versus Aliso Niguel.

In a promising sign for Diamond Bar’s future, freshman Zakii Coleman added 9 points as the team’s third-leading scorer. However, Aliso Niguel’s dominance in the paint, where they scored 30 points, proved too much to overcome as they maintained control through the final quarter.

The loss highlighted both the potential and growing pains of a young Brahmas squad that features just three seniors, with the remainder of the roster comprised of juniors and three freshmen.

Diamond Bar will look to bounce back on Friday, December 13th, when they host Yucaipa (5-2), with tipoff scheduled for 6:45 pm.

Diamond Bar Brahmas Game Statistics