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On the cover:
MiraCosta forward Mylie Tinoisamoa sliding to defend Pierce defense Stephany Ramirez during the first round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, Calif., on Nov. 19, 2025.
Editorial: From the desk of the Roundup Thanksgiving break should last a week
PierceCollege students and faculty have a twoday Thanksgiving break between midterms and finals.
More time off could help students mentally prepare for the final push of the semester. A full week off would provide time to step away from classes, focus on self-care and spend quality time with family.
Pierce students often balance schools with jobs, family responsibilities and long commutes. A two-day break does not leave much flexibility for personal needs. Thanksgiving falls directly between two of the semester’s most demanding periods. Many students struggle to find time to rest, travel or attend to family obligations during this short
timeframe.
A longer break could help students regain their energy after heavy coursework, return to class focused and approach assignments with a clearer mind. For many, the short break ends up being about catching up on homework instead of resting. Without additional days off, students often feel rushed, stressed and unable to fully recover from the intensity of midterms.
A 2022 case study published through the Education Resources Information Center found that fall breaks placed during high-stress points in a semester helped reduce anxiety and improved students ability to manage academic demands. By providing time for reflection and rest, breaks can support mental health and
give students tools to handle future academic challenges.
Although breaks alone can’t eliminate academic worries, breaks could help support learning. Students are frequently more attentive and able to concentrate on remembering material when they have time to unwind
Other colleges have recognized the benefits of longer school breaks. Inside Higher Ed reported in 2023 that the University of Maryland extended its Thanksgiving break to help scholars rest and recharge during a challenging semester. This choice was a response to student concerns about burnout and the need for more than a brief pause during a critical point in the semester.
Faculty face the same endof-semester pressures as
students –grading exams, preparing final lessons and managing large class loads. The National Education Association reported, “pressure, stress and anxiety frequently translate into sleep deprivation, irritability and isolation” for faculty members. Extending Thanksgiving break would allow instructors time to recharge, plan lessons, and return ready to guide students through finals. A week-long Thanksgiving break would support mental health, reduce burnout and help everyone finish the semester stronger, more prepared and better equipped to finish the remaining school year.
A look into the archives: 70+ years of the Roundup
Nine years ago, on Nov. 29, 2016, The Pierce College Diversity Committee and Associated Students Organization (ASO) organized a thanksgiving. The Roundup quoted the Director of International Student Services and member of the Diversity Committee Abby Watson.
Thi event was aimed towards the internation students and for them to feel a sense of community with their fellow students. At the time of this article, there were 188 internation students during Fall 2016.
“It’s not solely for international students, but many of these students are international students,” Watson said. “Most of them are American
students, but it really is to welcome our international students and show them what an American Thanksgiving is like.”
While the attendees were eating, the organizers screened a History Channel documentary “History of the Holiday’s: History of Thanksgiving”.
After the feast, the attendees formed teams and played a trivia game, Kahoot!, where the questions were all Thanksgiving themed. Shortly after, a microphone was passed around the room where everyone shared what they were thankful for.
Copy by Abraham Elizalde
November 26, 2025
Is Friendsgiving a better alternative to traditional holiday?
Chosen family trend fuels
Friendsgiving
By Ivy Jade Garry Reporter
Friendsgiving has become a corporate holiday
By Zamourad Iqbal Editorr
“I’m gonna spend time with my family in Texas, enjoy good food, and enjoy a good time with my family.”
Julian Torres -Business Administration
Friendsgiving is a way of honoring old traditions through a modern lens.
While the word “Friendsgiving” was only added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in January 2020, the event has been taking place for much longer. A tweet from 2007 is believed to be the first written example of the term and it was later popularized through its usage in marketing campaigns.
An article by Delish credits popular media for the word’s growth.
“Some people credit the hit show ‘Friends’ for inspiring the concept of spending the holiday with friends. Another theory suggests that a 2011 ad campaign by Baileys Irish Cream liqueur used the word, giving the Friendsgiving movement more momentum.
Thepopularity of the Friendsgiving tradition might seem like a great way to celebrate friendship or enjoy the holiday, especially for those who are far from home and can’t join a family Thanksgiving dinner or who want to avoid family drama.
But most people overlook the mental stress of hosting a Friendsgiving, and the pressure to follow social media trends and compete with others adds an extra financial burden.
The ideology behind the celebration of Friendsgiving’s popularity is a result of corporate advertising strategies.
According to the article by the Washington Post, “Friendsgiving has attained the true marker of an American holiday, not recognition from Congress, but from capitalism.
Since then, it’s become a word that refers to a Thanksgiving dinner celebrated with friends.”
People have held gatherings with their “chosen family” since much longer than the 2000s.an article by SCOTT SHACKFORD for Reason Magazine writes, “Friendsgiving is a relatively new term, but it’s not a new concept. People who have been deprived of family, either by circumstance or by choice, have been gathering for their own Thanksgiving observances for decades.”
Friendsgiving is a way for people who aren’t close to their families because of distance or differing views to enjoy the holidays surrounded by people who care.
“It’s not an either/or scenario where we have to choose
Bailey’s Irish Cream has used the term in ad campaigns. Izze, the fizzy beverage, has served up Friendsgiving planning ideas on Instagram, linking consumers directly to Amazon to buy their products.”
A New York Times article, “Friendsgiving has become just as fraught as Thanksgiving,” argues that the internet is flooded with information, etiquette, and rules.
“The bad news: there are ‘15 Books to Read Before You Host Friendsgiving.’ Among the titles on the syllabus are “The Gift of Gathering: Beautiful Tablescapes and “Beautiful Boards: 50 Amazing Snack Boards for Any Occasion.”
By the time you have seen all 50 beautiful snack boards, you may ask yourself: How did Friendsgiving, originally a low-key, low-
between family and some sort of lesser, not-real family. For those who don’t have family to turn to, Friendsgiving is a way of being and remaining part of a community,” Shackford said.
Friendsgiving is also a way to alleviate the stress of a traditional Thanksgiving.
In 2019, study done by OnePoll in conjunction with Sabra, found that 58 percent of the 2,000 respondents aged 18-38, “prefer Friendsgiving to a traditional Thanksgiving because they get to avoid personal questions from the family.”
The nature of Friendsgiving is much more relaxed than that of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. This casual attitude toward the usually stressinducing celebration creates no wonder as to why that same
stress get-together with nonrelatives whose company you enjoy, become a bigger pain in the wishbone than Thanksgiving?”
The article also states that Friendsgiving has become more complicated, and people are now celebrating it like destination weddings.
An article published by the Janesville Gazette, “Millennials gather around Friendsgiving tables,” argues that traditional holidays like Thanksgiving don’t have to make a lot of effort.
“The traditional holiday can be more relaxed because parents typically organize the food for Thanksgiving. With Friendsgiving, it’s up to the young adults to plan, host, and make sure everyone is fed.”
The societal expectations surrounding Friendsgiving traditions place a significant
Onepoll study discovered that, “Seven in 10 young Americans prefer Friendsgiving over a traditional Thanksgiving.” Times are changing and so are traditions, the Washburn Review puts it plainly, “The rise of Friendsgiving reflects changing social dynamics and the importance of chosen family in modern American culture.”
Friendsgiving creates a safe space for people who aren’t close to their families or don’t have families whom they can celebrate with. Friendsgiving is not a rejection of traditional Thanksgiving values, rather a reimagining and modernization of the holiday.
financial burden on people, and social media trends have overshadowed the potential downsides of Friendsgiving.
The social gathering in the Friendsgiving setting might be overwhelming for single people. The listicle on Elite Daily showcased how single people get annoyed when asked about their romantic relationships or plans to get married.
“The most frustrating parts of being the only single person at a Friendsgiving, when you’re surrounded by some of your favorite people, hearing all about how you shouldn’t give up hope that you’ll find someone special, is just plain exhausting.”
What are your Thanksgiving plans?
by Elizabeth Holodnak
“For Thanksgiving, I’m heading to Las Vegas with friends for my friend’s 21st birthday. We wanted to leave California for the first time.”
AlfredoFuentes-FilmMajor
“Me and my family are going over to my aunt’s house and we are going to have dinner with my cousins.”
NellyAltamirano-Nursing
“I’m gonna eat dry turkey and macaroni and cheese with my family.”
Bryan Ramirez-History Major
“I hang out with my family. We do a barbecue and sing some karaoke at my house.”
Karl Reyes-Film Major
Interviews
Photos by Josue Aguilar
As construction continues, heavy rain causes leaks
By Elizabeth Holodnak Reporter
College Council (PCC) discussed hiring priorities, major construction updates and a new district wide accessibility initiative that will shape the college’s operations over the coming years.
Vice president of Academic Affairs Mary Jo Apigo opened the meeting with updates on staffing and enrollment.
“Guidance we have from the district is that colleges hire back about 40% of those retirements, so we’ll be focusing on critical hires,” Apigo said
Apigo also discussed enrollment and the state’s shift to a standardized attendance accounting model. She shared that the new model resulted in a gain districtwide.
“Districtwide, that led to a gain of about 1,400 FTES. For Pierce, we had about a 90 FTES gain when we made that change,” Apigo said.
Vice President of Administrative Services
Rolf Schieicher provided a detailed overview of campus infrastructure challenges. Heavy rains exposed weaknesses in older buildings, causing leaks, equipment issues, and delays to scheduled maintenance.
Schieicher emphasized how complex it can be to move specialized systems across campus.
“We can’t just move proprietary systems that easily, we were staging some things and coordinating closely with IT,” Schieicher said.
Schieicher also announced upcoming work on the college’s central plant, which will temporarily affect campus cooling systems. However, with cool weather expected, he reassured the council that operations should continue smoothly.
Schieicher added that upgrades to emergency response systems, such as door access and campus-wide camera improvements, are in progress.
Project Manager Soufiane Boudiaf followed with a comprehensive report on
active construction projects. He highlighted progress on Academic East, Academic West, and the long-delayed Industrial Technology Building. Heavy rain caused repeated delays, but crews have recently made major progress. Discussing earlier storms, Boudiaf said, “Even though we closed all the windows and doors, we still had water penetration from the roof, and it cost us a lot of labor and time to repair.”
Boudiaf also urged the campus community to attend the upcoming ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Child Development building on December 5, noting that district leadership, including the chancellor, will be present.
Deputy Isaac Jorge gave his sheriff’s report and mentioned that another golf cart was stolen from the back of the bookstore.
“Unfortunately, they’re so easy to break into.we saw it on a video and it looked like he used a screwdriver,” Jorge said.
Later in the meeting, Schieicher returned to
Academic Senate talks AI on campus
By Chris Rubenstein Reporter
TheAcademic Senate meeting on Monday, Nov 24, in Building 600, focused on opportunities to obtain funds for Pierce College, enrollment updates and re-election for Senate officers and updates on upcoming campus events.
President Ara Aguiar discussed how Pierce College was vying for the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, which would give the college $4 million across 4 years. Aguiar highlighted that this fund would help navigate AI in the classroom and use it as a tool for learning.
Aguiar also mentioned an increase in enrollment.
“Our head count grew by 7.5% and our enrollment is at 7% for winter,”Aguiar said. “It’s really great, and thank you to the faculty who have taught large classes.”
Academic Senate President Margarita Pillado spoke about the development that occurred last spring, during the elections for Senate officers, there was a tie between candidates, and there was nothing in the bylaws detailing instructions for such circumstances.
Pillado opened the question to the Senate for possible resolutions should a similar situation occur again.
A solution was not agreed upon, but Distance Education Coordinator Wendy Bass pointed out that it costs over $100 to hold a re-election.
“That’s our money,” Bass said. “I’d rather see that money go to school scholarships or something like that.”
Bass also suggested that, should a faculty member run unopposed, an election should be skipped altogether to save money.
One of the final topics discussed at the meeting was the prospect of AI and whether it can be a tool to help professors, or if it is further damaging the school system and the professors’ students. Pillado mentioned that professors were starting to feel as though they weren’t even giving out degrees to humans anymore.
Bass said AI hurt her students a lot more than it hurt her. And that students who relied on AI were cheating themselves out of education.
“I’m pretty blunt with the students and say, ‘This is for you,’” Bass said. “You’re in college, and you want to be here. If you want to use AI and get a degree based on AI,
introduce the district’s new Accessibility Capability Maturity Model (ACMM), a system designed to help campuses evaluate and improve accessibility practices. He emphasized that ACMM is both a legal requirement and an opportunity for improvement.
“Our goal is to be proactive and to make sure we are accessible to everyone,” Schieicher said.
ASO President Emma Ortega closed the meeting with updates on student events, including a “Unplugged with ASO,” series of relaxation and wellness activities leading into finals.
The next PCC meeting will be on Zoom on Thursday, Dec.8, 2025.
congratulations. We didn’t catch you. But that’s not going to help you be successful in life.”
The Associate Student Organization (ASO) President Emma Ortega announced about their upcoming events.
Starting Dec. 8, ASO is hosting a series of events centered on relaxation for students facing finals as the semester winds down. Moreover, they will have a “Mindful Monday” focused primarily on meditation. Ortega then expanded on the two events they would have on Tuesday.
“Sip and study” is Tuesday’s first event, so a lot of students can come to the student union space and have something to drink with some other people while they have some hot cocoa,” Ortega said.
Later that Tuesday, ASO will have an Equine de-stress. On Wednesday, they will have yoga, and on Thursday, a crafting event. ASO will also be having a canned food drive on Dec. 3.
The next Academic Senate meeting will be held on Monday, December 8th, in Building 600.
Elizabeth Holodnak / Roundup News
A Zoom screenshot of the Pierce College Council meeting on Nov. 20, 2025.
Brianna Fuerte contributed to this story.
Event provides advice on Brahmas becoming Bruins
By Emileo Carreon Reporter
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) hosted a panel on Nov. 20 for incoming students who are interested or thinking about transferring to the university.
Computer engineering major Hasti Salsal talked about planning to transfer to UCLA after graduating from Pierce College.
“I’d like to go to UCLA because I know they have a lot of good research opportunities,” Salsal said. “I’m hoping to find good connections to other companies as well.”
Peer adviser and English major Vicky Bretado emphasized the importance of transferring for community college students, it provides better educational and lifestyle opportunities.
“I think transferring is very important,” Bretado said. “Most of these students have plans to pursue higher education and they want a better experience and lifestyle.”
Bretado believes this experience helps students develop skills such as teamwork, which is valuable for university life and future careers.
“I think it’s important because you gain a lot of experience and you gain a lot of skills like working with people, especially when going out into the real world or a four-year university,” Bretado said. “Working in a fast paced environment, working with teams is always very important.”
While the UCLA application deadline is about two weeks away, Bretado suggested students begin the process early and seek advice, rather than waiting until the last minute.
“I think the only challenges that I’ve received so far are that many students are not working on their application for UCLA and prerequisite classes,” Bretado said. “I have students come up to me and say they haven’t even started their application.”
Psychology and African American studies major Kylie Stewart’s motivation for transferring to UCLA is driven by a long-standing dream.
“I have been there for a long time and I just don’t know if it’s been a dream,” Stewart said.
it’s been a dream,” Stewart said. “I’m really excited to see if it happens.”
Hands on tradition, heart on rhythm
“I’m not transferring as a psychology major; I’m transferring as an African American studies major. I’m really excited to see if it happens,”
The deadline to submit transfer applications for UCLA is Dec. 1.
(Right to Left) UCLA Peer Adviser Vicky Bretado talks with psychology major, Kylie Steward, in the Transfer Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Nov. 20, 2025.
TOP: A drum group honors the Mexica culture, led by Professor Tony Sandoval and his students Arya Arasteh, Yvette Sanchez, Giovanni Ortiz, Ozzy Portillo, Rebecca Camacho, Megan Smith and Edan Rachoom, at the Library Learning Crossroads at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Nov. 19, 2025.
LEFT: Professor Tony Sandoval plays Mexica instruments as a demonstration of the culture at the Library Learning Crossroads at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Nov. 19, 2025.
Damian Celedon/ Roundup News
Damian Celedon/ Roundup News
Josue Aguiar / Roundup News
Phlebotomy instructor teaches students blood draw basics
By Olivia Muñoz Reporter
Gettingyour blood drawn may make you think of needles, the burning smell of alcohol and a sore spot on the arm. It’s a relatively quick and nearly painless procedure. But there is an entire learning course and skill set required for a patient to get that initial poke.
Phlebotomy instructor Antonio Sandoval from the College of Nursing and Technology in Chatsworth sought to introduce members of the Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S.T.E.M.) club to the world of blood drawing and collection in a talk held on Nov. 17.
The lecture began with Sandoval introducing himself and explaining how he became a phlebotomist. He began as a medical assistant and with encouragement from his sister, who was also in the medical field, started the process of obtaining a phlebotomy license. In 2020, he became an instructor and was promoted to an administrative position this year.
Sandoval said that phlebotomy is an oftenoverlooked, yet vital, multifaceted aspect of medicine.
“It’s definitely underappreciated, but without it, so many questions in the medical field can’t get
answered,” Sandoval said. “Phlebotomy doesn’t just involve sticking people with needles or drawing blood the conventional way.
It’s also collecting specimens of any kind that come out of a patient that go to analysis in the lab; oftentimes, phlebotomists are the ones processing those specimens.”
Sandoval provided an interactive demonstration of preparing for a blood draw and the techniques for handling needles, vials, and other necessary items. With a hand from a realistic silicone arm, Women in STEM club members were able to practice tying tourniquets, finding veins in patients’ arms and preparing needles for insertion.
Sandoval said the main goal of his talk was to help students gain a clear understanding of the process of drawing blood in a real-world medical setting.
“I try to be honest in my explanations and sometimes a little graphic,” he said. “When I was introduced to this, it was kind of romanticized, and then you get thrown into the fire of working in a hospital and you realize, ‘Oh, wow, this is kind of heavy.’ I thought it’d be a good idea to be open, honest and transparent to students.”
Women in S.T.E.M. Vice President Masturah Wardak asked Sandoval to serve as a guest speaker after taking a summer phlebotomy course with him to get her foot in the
door of the medical field as a biotechnology major.
Wardak said his course and style of teaching encouraged her to invite him and share his knowledge with the club members.
“I really loved the course, especially because he was the one teaching it,” Wardak said. “He has a very relaxed manner, and he’s very good with students. So, being a part of a club here on campus that aims to give students different opportunities within the STEM field, I wanted to invite him over to garner student interest and give students an idea of the different types of jobs in the health field.”
After club members were able to practice preparing and sticking needles with the silicone arm and the best places to draw blood on different patients, Sandoval wrapped up the talk by answering a few questions about how to handle certain situations when drawing blood and offering more information about the phlebotomy course at the College of Nursing and Technology.
Club member Talia Mesri said she learned why each step in a blood draw is essential from Sandoval’s talk, and watching the process helped ease her fear.
“It was really important to learn how to tie the tourniquet, because even though you’re not poking anybody, it’s still something you need to do before you start,” Mesri said.
Cherie
Speaker Antonio Sandoval shows Nursing Major Nicole Peterson how to apply the rubber band onto biology major Adeline Libatique’s arm at a Women in S.T.E.M. meeting at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. on Nov. 17, 2025.
“I usually get scared when I’m poked, but it’s less nerveracking watching someone else do it.”
Women in S.T.E.M.
President Noelia Rodriguez said that she hopes that talks like Sandoval’s about the different aspects of medicine and STEM in general will encourage students to broaden their horizons and form new connections.
“I really want to create a community where everybody
in STEM has a safe space to not only try different things, but also have people to communicate with about different opportunities, and just have a safe space where we can bond over our experiences,” she said. “Even if it’s not in your major, just sitting and listening always helps. It’s all about helping people discover their path.”
A handful of screams at ‘Talk To Me’ screening by Film Club
By Chris Rubinstein Reporter
After having a film screening that focused on facism, the Pierce College Film club decided to switch gears and move toward a different genre: horror. Their first entry of the film festival started with the film “Talk to Me,” Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 16, in the Great Hall.
The film stars Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen and Joe Bird as the characters Mia , Jade and Riley. After being invited to a house party, they come across an embalmed hand that can make you communicate with the dead. As the characters continue to use it, strange things begin to happen.
the movie ended, a panel featuring professors Kenneth Windrum, JP Evans, Shauna Klein and Nora Sweeney spoke to a crowd of around 30 people.
The film was chosen by
members of the Film club during one of the meetings as the first entry in a series of horror films. Windrum, who’s the club’s adviser, said he didn’t directly choose the film, but he maintains some level of influence over the decision.
“One thing I always say is, ‘Look, let’s pick something we can talk about,’” Windrum said. “Because sometimes they’ll come up with something really silly or something obscure and I’m like, ‘This may be good, but are we gonna have a 45 minute discussion?’ [‘Talk to me’] is a film where you can talk. We talked for 50 minutes. People had plenty to say about it and kept coming up with more things.”
Near the beginning of the panel, Evans said that they connected with the film on a personal level and that they found the way the film uses the supernatural as an allegory for something real to be incredibly intriguing.
“The idea that teens get kind of sucked into something that consumes them and destroys them, I think that’s something that I personally, as an artist, have been interested in,” Evans said.
Junior philosophy major Christina Wada was one of the students who attended the panel and interacted with the four professors. Wada said that the panel [and film in general] was important because it can connect with people and make them face serious issues in a way that other mediums can’t.
“I think it helps touch upon deeper subjects that other people might be experiencing in their own lives, but not be able to put into words,” Wada said. “So through film, it’s able to connect a bunch of different people from different walks of life to be able to discuss certain themes in these movies that they might be able to connect to.”
Windrum said he likes holding these events because
Bryce Edwards / Roundup News
Professors Kenneth Windrum, Shonna Kline, Jonathan Evans and Nora Sweeney discuss the film “Talk to Me” during a panel at the Great Hall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Nov. 18, 2025.
it gives younger generations the opportunity to have a better appreciation of the medium and also allows them to interact with each other.
“I think it’s important to let people know that film is a rich, deep art form that you can analyze,” Windrum said. “I think it’s great just
to let kids talk to each other to express their ideas, and I think it’s nice to have people together enjoying a movie and having pizza.”
Film club’s second entry in their horror festival is on Monday, Nov. 24, with the screening of “Us.”
Clark / Roundup News
Brahmas soccer gets sent home, eliminated by MiraCosta
By Abraham Elizalde Editor-in-Chief
PierceCollege’s most dependable team has fallen in the first round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs to MiraCosta College.
The women’s soccer team endeed its run on Nov. 19 in Oceanside, Calif., with a score of 1-0 against the Spartans.
The 26th ranked Brahmas entered the playoffs with a 9-5-5 record, the only team with a winning record for Pierce College, and the Spartans were coming off of a 13-4-7 season ranking 11th.
Assistant coach Joandra Ramirez expressed her thoughts on the El Camino women’s soccer team, and how the Brahmas competed against them.
“The Spartans are definitely very aggressive and physical,” Ramirez said. “Their ability to keep being on us and bringing that pressure definitely broke our line and our moment.”
The first half started with both teams having no shots on goal. Although there was no scoring in this half,
the Brahmas were playing Spartan’s ball with MiraCosta having significantly more time on Pierce’s side, resulting in the Brahmas not having many chances to score.
Head coach for the Brahmas Adolfo Perez believes that the home court was a true advantage for MiraCosta, but Pierce better adjusted in the second half.
“The Spartans were using the whole field and we were chasing,” Perez said.
“Spartans kept beating us at the ball, which stayed a lot more compact in the second half, and we had a few opportunities.”
The second half started like the first but, with the Brahmas having a new feel for the ball.
The Brahmas were able to keep the ball in the side of the Spartans for an extensive amount of time and had more shots on goal than how they started.
The Spartans did not play quietly. Several players teased the Brahmas with aggresive words and paired that with physical defense and offense, resulting in MiraCosta midfield Amslee Mikichi and
defense Mylie Tinoisamoa getting yellow cards in the second half.
Ultimately, the Spartans caught the Brahmas off-guard and took advantage of this opportunity, scoring the first goal, making the game 1-0.
The Brahmas tried to tie it up with little time left on the clock but ended up short, ending the game and their season for the year.
Assistant coach and head coach for men’s soccer Julio Castillo believed that odds were against the Brahmas and it led to unideal results.
“ A lot of things didn’t go our way,” Castillo said. “We couldn’t kick the ball, it would always go a little bit to the left or a little bit to the right.”
With the season coming to a close, Perez gave some insights on the team and what to look forward to next year.
“We obviously have to recruit,” Perez said. ”It’s going to be a completely different team, and I am going into my 25th year, and it is a challenge every year. Expect nothing new.”
Pierce College defense Stephany Ramirez defends MiraCosta forward Kristal Hernandez during the first round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, Calif., on Nov. 19, 2025.
Abraham Elizalde / Roundup News
Pierce College forward Jocelyn Coronado pushes MiraCosta defense Mylie Tinoisamoa after tripping defense Stephany Ramirez during the first round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, Calif., on Nov. 19, 2025.
Abraham Elizalde / Roundup News
Pierce men’s basketball turns tight battle into 82-70 victory
By Gabriella Carlos Reporter
Pierce College Men’s basketball team defeated the Los Angeles City College Cubs, 82-70 in the South Gym on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
The game started off neck and neck with LACC only leading by three. Shooting guard Jalen Thomas broke the 8-8 tie with two free throws allowing the Brahmas to lead 10-8. The Cubs quickly caught up, narrowing the gap.
Point guard Mandell Anthony took over the offense and defense scoring two points following a jump shot, allowing the Brahmas to gain the lead once again.
The Cubs and Brahmas went back-and-forth with close calls after LACC stole the ball and called for a timeout to restrategize. LACC gained two points with a jumpshot, tipping the scale in their favor, 26-22.
The Brahmas took back the gap near the end of the first half after point guard Andrew Shackleford made a jump shot, creating a turning point for LACC. The Cubs caught up with a layup allowing the final score in the first half of 42-43.
Brahma small forward Tyler Sturgeon acknowledged the size of his opponents and Pierce being undersized to be a difficulty during the game.
“Today we had two big guys trying to keep the ball which was difficult being undersized,” Sturgeon said. “But I think the groups out there did a good job of doing that.”
During the second half of the game, LACC caught up with guard PJ Jacobs making a threepoint jump shot, bringing the score to 59-49. With eight minutes left in the game, Anthony scored two layups, putting the Brahmas in the lead the remainder of the game.
With 31 seconds left, Cub guard Kye Usher-Brown missed a three-point shot and Shackleford was able to earn two points with free throws. Jacobs’ then lost the ball to Anthony, who made a
dunk during the final seconds of the game.
Despite the tough fight and close game, Jacobs said they will try harder next time as a team.
“We just have to lock in and try to find out what we’re doing wrong and fix the little mistakes,” Jacobs said. “A lot of us weren’t on the same page. We just have to find ways to be on the same page.”
With a record of 3-2, Pierce Head Coach Charles White expressed how his team could’ve been more intense and cautious.
“We let some things slip past us and the guys are starting to pick it up,” White said. “This is a game we thought we should’ve won by at least 20.”
The Brahmas next game will be away at San Diego Mesa College on Dec. 3.
Pierce Men’s Basketball player Mandell Anthony (#22) attempts to pass while Los Angeles City players Troy Agtang (#2) and Jaelin Brown (#32) surround him during a match in the South Gym at Pierce College, Woodland Hills, Calif., on Nov. 19, 2025.
Calvin Henry / Roundup News
Calvin Henry / Roundup News
Head coach Charles White and assistant Coaches Mike Farmer and Ivan Barahona monitor the Pierce College Men’s Basketball team on the court during a match against Los Angeles City in the South Gym at Pierce College, Woodland Hills, Calif., on Nov. 19, 2025.
