In a tightly contested Palomares League rivalry game between Walnut Valley Unified School District rivals, the Walnut Mustangs defended their home court with a 69–62 victory over the Diamond Bar Brahmas on Wednesday night at Walnut High School.

It marked the first of two regular-season meetings between the district rivals, and much like Diamond Bar’s recent four-point loss to Ayala earlier in the week, the Brahmas once again found themselves with a loss in closely contested game.

Walnut used efficient perimeter shooting to create separation, knocking down 10 of 18 attempts from three-point range. Diamond Bar, meanwhile, struggled from beyond the arc, finishing 5 of 25 as a team despite generating quality looks.

Senior guard Jedi Chow led all scorers with 24 points for the Brahmas, continuing his strong offensive stretch. Ezekiel Alegado added 15 points, including five three-pointers, while Ayden Ellis contributed 13 points. Jacob Kim chipped in eight points, and Demi Sobiye finished with two points to go along with four steals, providing defensive energy throughout the contest.

Despite the shooting disparity from long range, Diamond Bar stayed within striking distance by controlling key areas of the game. The Brahmas held a free-throw advantage, converting 10 of 15 attempts compared to Walnut’s 5 of 9, and the teams finished deadlocked in total rebounds (21–21) and turnovers (8 apiece).

Walnut capitalized on timely baskets and late-game execution to seal the win, improving to 13–8 overall and 3–1 in Palomares League play. Diamond Bar dropped to 11–11 overall and 1–3 in league action but showed resilience once again in a competitive league matchup.

The Brahmas will look to bounce back when they return home to face Claremont, while Walnut will remain at home to host the Glendora Tartans in their next league contest.

With another meeting between these district rivals still to come later in the season, this opening chapter set the tone for what promises to be a great Palomares League rematch.