Preparing for his first game as Pasadena City College men's basketball interim head coach, Spenser Nunes had a big enough endeavor with the Lancers facing pre-season state #6-ranked San Bernardino Valley in the 2025-26 season opener. Except the veteran assistant coach from the past PCC three seasons got the added hurdle of having to go into surgery for an emergency appendectomy just six days earlier.

After watching his Lancers fall behind by as much as 19 points in the first half, PCC clawed back and shocked SBVC, 82-79, at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium Tuesday night. 

The program had lost its last 11 straight meetings with SBVC going back to 2003, but came out of nowhere to erase a 39-20 deficit, ultimately grabbing the lead for the first time with 8:48 left, 67-66, on Gor-el Zollicoffer's jumper. A Donovan Ford layup with 6:21 to go gave the Lancers a 69-67 lead, one it would not relinquish. 

Zollicofer drilled back-to-back, 3-pointers in a personal 8-0 run that turned the balance of the game. A 6-foot-2 guard from Great Oak High in Temecula, Zollicoffer finished with a game-high 21 points, making 5-for-8 from beyond the 3-point arc.

Other stars for the Lancers were returning sophomore guard Darrius Freeman, who tallied 16 points (6-for-7 from the free throw line) and dished out six assists, reserve letterman forward Donovan Ford, who notched 10 points, nine rebounds, four assists and blocked three shots, and frosh wing Gavin Hollins-Law, who scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds. 

All 10 Lancers who saw action scored at least two points, nine players made at least one basket from the field as the team shot 52.9 percent (13-for-23 for 56.5 percent in the second half). PCC was also outstanding at the line, making 21 of 23 attempts for 91.3 percent accuracy. 

PCC made second-half defensive adjustments after falling behind 49-39 by halftime. The Lancers limited the high-octane Wolverines to just 30 points over the final 20 minutes. 

While SBVC had five players score in double figures, led by 17 from Stanley Thomas III, PCC's defense buckled down, forcing San Bernardino to rush shots (32.1 percent) and into making seven turnovers during the second half. 

Nunes, who made a quick recovery to get back to the PCC bench after his surgery, talked about that his team has a mantra "Prove it," as a theme for the '25-26 season. 

"People think we have fallen off and discounted us since our former head coach Ryan Frazer left to take a Division I coaching job" Nunes said. "The players and our coaching staff feel as a group we have tons to prove. We talked pre-game about when things get hard and not going our way, who is going to say 'here I am, send me.' And what do you know we found ourselves down 19 early. Our guys didn't blink and we kept believing that things would even out if we just stayed the course and did the right things. And that's what 'Prove it' is about--responding when it's hard, when it hurts, and when it's not going your way.

"This group showed chemistry and toughness tonight and it resulted in a great win v. one of the state's best programs."

Nunes took over as interim head coach in late July after Frazer, who directed three straight SoCal Regional Playoff appearances for the Lancers, accepted an assistant coaching position at the University of Montana. 

The '25-26 Lancers feature three other returning sophomores in forward Cooper Creamer,  reserve guard Brandin Jackson, and backup wing Julian Thompkins. Other top freshmen include 6-9 center Odera Nwoso, point guard Zakhary Van Patten, wing Korey Perkins, guard Churchill Ikenador, and wing DeMonte Lowe. 

PCC hosts its annual Skip Robinson Classic, a 6-team, 2-day round robin tourney on Thursday, Nov. 13 and Saturday, Nov. 15. The Lancers face Cypress on Nov. 13 (5 p.m.) and Glendale on Nov. 15 at 1 p.m.

The Lancers are members of the South Coast Conference North Division and won't begin that 8-game schedule unitl Jan. 21, 2026 at Los Angeles City.