PASADENA, Calif. – The Caltech men's basketball team played its first game of 2025 Saturday afternoon, hosting local SCIAC rival Occidental College.

The visiting Tigers tested the Beavers early on, racking up a 10-point lead in the opening five minues, but Caltech fought back to a single-point deficit by the 7:14 mark. Junior Noah Hicks (Oxford, Ga. / George Walton Academy) led his team with 12 points in the first half including three three-pointers without commiting a turnover.

Caltech held Oxy close after the halftime break, keeping it a one- or two-possession game thanks to strong defending and successful layups by hicks and first-year Josh Balami (Woodbury, Minn. / Math and Science Academy). As a team, the Beavers outperformed the Tigers in bench points (16-13) and second-chance points (13-9).

"We started off a little slow, but then we found a nice rhythm and it was really good basketball the rest of the first half and into the second," Head Coach Dr. Oliver Eslinger said. "I was happy with our pace and sharing the ball, and guys really digging in and making a bunch of nice plays. There was some really good conversation and camaraderie in our timeouts."

Hicks finished with a team-highs of 17 points and six rebounds, also serving up two assists. Balami accounted for 16 points and led the team in steals, while fellow first-year Chase Williamson (McDonough, Ga. / Union Grove) also scored 16 along with a team-leading four assists. Sophomore Andrew Koclanes (Denver / Colorado Academy) scored 10 points off the bench from three three-pointers and a free throw.

The Beavers will be back on their home court Wednesday night at 7 p.m. to host the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens.