Woman gets 22-year sentence for fatally stabbing a man in a Santa Ana homeless camp

• January 25, 2026

SANTA ANA — A 41-year-old woman pleaded guilty Friday and was sentenced to 22 years in prison for fatally stabbing a man in a homeless encampment in Santa Ana.

Tanya Ceja pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a deadly weapon. As part of the negotiated plea deal with prosecutors, a murder charge was dismissed.

Ceja was given credit for 1,661 days behind bars awaiting trial. Ceja fatally stabbed 31-year-old Jaime Santos on Feb. 9, 2022, along railroad tracks in the 2200 block of South Beeson Lane.

According to police testimony at Ceja’s preliminary hearing, Ceja and Santos were involved in a shoving match before she plunged a knife into his chest. Santos had grabbed her from behind but she managed to get loose before stabbing him, police testified.

A friend, Jose Acosta, testified he witnessed the conflict and said Santos had a reputation for touching women in the encampment.

​ Orange County Register 

Luka Doncic beats Mavericks again as Lakers rally in 4th

• January 25, 2026

DALLAS — Luka Doncic had 33 points and 11 assists, and the Lakers erased a 15-point deficit in the final seven minutes of a 116-110 victory over the Mavericks on Saturday night in the star guard’s second visit to Dallas since his shocking trade to L.A. almost a year ago.

LeBron James scored 11 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, when Rui Hachimura had a four-point play before another 3-pointer on the next possession to put the Lakers in front for good as Doncic improved to 4-0 against his former team.

Hachimura’s 3-pointer for a 108-106 lead started an 11-2 run that Doncic capped with a driving layup for an eight-point edge, prompting the Slovenian star to turn his old bench and declare the game over.

Max Christie, who came to Dallas along with injured 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis in the trade for Doncic, scored 24 points. Naji Marshall had 21 points and 11 rebounds as Dallas’ season-best four-game winning streak ended.

The Mavericks outscored the Lakers 41-14 from the start of the third quarter until early in the fourth, turning a 13-point deficit into a 14-point lead. Brandon Williams, who scored 20 points, had eight on a 10-2 run to finish the third, which started with a 20-4 Dallas burst.

The lead was 15 points with less than 7 minutes remaining when the Lakers started their rally, sparked by James after a slow start had him with a minus-28 rating early in the fourth.

Doncic didn’t have to deal with the same emotions as his return to Dallas last season, when we wept on the bench during a tribute video before he was introduced. The NBA’s scoring leader was 14 of 15 on free throws.

Up next

Lakers: A visit to Chicago on Monday is the halfway point of an eight-game trip, the longest of the season.

​ Orange County Register 

USWNT opens 2026 with dominant win over Paraguay

• January 25, 2026

CARSON — On a day when the U.S. Women’s National Team honored legendary forward Christen Press, a new crop of faces kicked off the new year in hopes of making an impression for the upcoming drive to a busy 2026 and 2027 and even beyond.

The USWNT kicked off 2026 Saturday with a roster full of players from the NWSL and eventually wore down Paraguay for a 6-0 win in front of 19,397 at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Reilyn Turner, who was making her senior national team debut, opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time.

“If you saw a big group of loud people, that was my family,” Turner, who is from Aliso Viejo, said. “There are so many players on this team that I played with in the past, so being able to play with them again is a dream come true. There’s some old chemistry and some new chemistry and I feel like I’m just really grateful to have been on the field today.”

Turner started last season in a Futures Camp, which trains alongside the senior national team. That experience, she said, was vital for her last season.

“We were able to get exposure with the full team coaches and I think that was a great opportunity for me, at least to get to know the coaches and style of play,” Turner said. “Leaving the Futures Camp knowing kind of the standard of what it takes to be on full team, just learning and growing day, has been really nice.”

The onslaught really began in the early stages of the second half as the USWNT scored five goals in a 15-minute span to blow open a once close game.

Ally Sentnor scored twice in the second half (47th and 57th minutes), Trinity Rodman capped her emotional week with a goal in the 56th minute and Emma Sears capped the scoring in the 72nd minute.

Emma Hayes said that Rodman told her not take her off until she scored.

“She’s ready to move forward and I think today symbolizes that,” Hayes said. “It’s a fresh start for her. She’s settled. She’s happy and I think knowing her future is a big weight off of her shoulders.

“I think she looked rusty, like all of them did in the many ways, but she said to me at halftime, you’re not taking me off till I get a goal, because I’ve got a celebration.”

It was a goal-scoring outburst that certainly Press would have enjoyed playing in. Press, who played the last three seasons of her professional career with Angel City FC, was honored during the pregame ceremony. She hasn’t played for the national team since 2021, but she left an incredible imprint.

Press finished her national team career with 155 appearances, ranking ninth all-time in goals scored (64) and 12th in assists (43). She was a member of two World Cup champion teams (2015 and 2019) and the 2021 Bronze Medal team from the Tokyo Olympics.

“I think when I was a player, I had this idea that once you’re off the U.S. national team, that you’re just sort of forgotten,” Press told reporters during a pregame media scrum. “A moment like this is really special. I think U.S. Soccer has done a really good job; our whole generation has been retiring, of just celebrating everybody’s career.

“I think the generation is really special. We went through drastic changes in women’s sports and obviously women’s soccer, so to have this moment to celebrate it and celebrate the growth of the game is important.”

Press finished her legendary USWNT career with 155 caps and ranks ninth all-time in goals (64) and 12th all-time in assists (43). She is a two-time FIFA World Cup champion (2015, 2019) and earned a bronze medal in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

“She has done so much for the sport and having her retire and this being her retirement match, I think means so much to our squad,” Turner said. “She has made such a big impact on the game.”

For the current collection of players, Saturday’s rout was an impressive way to kick things off. On the busy horizon for the U.S. is the SheBelieves Cup in March, qualifying for the 2027 FIFA World Cup and eventually the event itself. Also down the road is the 2031 World Cup, which could be hosted by the U.S. along with Mexico, Costa Rica and Japan.

The USWNT will head to Santa Barbara Tuesday to face Chile.

USWNT to face Japan in April 

The USWNT will face Japan three times in April during the FIFA international window, it was announced Saturday.

First, the teams will meet April 11 at PayPal Park in San Jose (2:30 p.m.), followed April 14 at Lumen Field in Seattle (7 p.m.) and April 17 at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park in Colorado (6 p.m.).

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County scores and player stats for Saturday, Jan. 24

• January 25, 2026

Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now

Scores and stats from Orange County games on Saturday, Jan. 24

Click here for details about sending your team’s scores and stats to the Register.

The deadline for submitting information is 10:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 p.m. Saturday.

BOYS BASKETBALL

NIKE EXTRAVAGANZA

Servite 69, Los Alamitos 56

LA: Bowers 15 pts.

Ser: Johnson 25 pts; Schutt 14 pts, 15 rebs; Galvan 14 pts.

Aliso Niguel 78, Dos Pueblos 34

AN: Mysin 23 pts; Keys 17 pts; Shihad 11 pts.

Redondo Union 78, Foothill 39

RU: Sanders 22 pts.

Fh: Davidson 15 pts.

Other Nike scores

Damien 63, San Juan Hills 21

GIRLS BASKETBALL

SUNSET LEAGUE

Huntington Beach 57, Los Alamitos 49

HB: Savage 16 pts. Hoang 15 pts. Nguyen 13 pts. Miyai 13 pts

Los Al: Heng 14 pts

GIRLS WATER POLO

CENTRAL OC VARSITY TOURNAMENT

Games at Garden Grove

Ocean View 15, Garden Grove 8

Villa Park 7, Chaparral 6

Yorba Linda 16, Western 10

Ocean View 18, Santa Ana 3

Villa Park 9, Yorba Linda 4

Chaparral 13, Western 9

Garden Grove 16, Santa Ana 2

Games at Sunny Hills

Woodbridge 11, Canyon 9

Sunny Hills 17, Aliso Niguel 2

Flintridge Sacred Heart 8, Crescenta Valley 7

Capistrano Valley 7, University 5

Sunny Hills 15, Woodbridge 2

Aliso Niguel 9, Canyon 8

Capistrano Valley 13, Flintridge Sacred Heart 5

University 7, Crescenta Valley 6

IRVINE SOCAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Games at Corona del Mar

Orange Lutheran 14, Beckman 8

Goals: (OLu) Cohen 3, Jurgensen 4

Saves: (OLu) Galaz 6

Other scores

Dos Pueblos 13, Alta Loma 5

San Clemente 7, Harvard-Westlake 2

JSerra 11, Corona del Mar 8

Championship game

Orange Lutheran 13, JSerra 8

Goals: (OLu) Cohen 2, Nicoloff 2, Jurgensen 2, Palazzolo 2

Saves: (OLu) Stanley 15 saves (and 1 goal)

Third-place game

Corona del Mar 7, Beckman 6

Seventh-place game

Harvard-Westlake 10, Alta Loma 9

Games at Northwood

Ninth-place game

Los Alamitos 10, Agoura 8

11th-place game

Laguna Beach 12, Marlborough 4

13th-place game

Millikan 8, Murrieta Valley 6

15th-place game

Coronado 9, Irvine 8

NEWPORT INVITE

At Newport Harbor

Mater Dei 10, Oaks Christian 9

Newport Harbor 15, San Marcos 10

Long Beach Wilson 17, Foothill 9

Bishop’s 12, Cathedral Catholic 2

Championship game

Newport Harbor 12, Mater Dei 6

Goals: (MD) Ryan 3. (NH) Mulvey 4, Ting 2, Fahey 2

Saves: (MD) Sorensen 10. (NH) Brown 6.

Third-place game

San Marcos 11, Oaks Christian 8

Fifth-place game

Bishop’s 15, Long Beach Wilson 9

Seventh-place game

Foothill 19, Cathedral Catholic 9

​ Orange County Register 

UCLA men hold off Northwestern

• January 25, 2026

LOS ANGELES — After upsetting No. 4 Purdue, the UCLA men’s basketball team could have overlooked a lesser opponent in Northwestern. The Bruins handled the Wildcats in dominant fashion instead.

UCLA beat Northwestern 71-64 to earn its fourth win over the last five games.

The Bruins (14-6, 6-3) shot 26 for 53 (49%) from the field and went 8 for 18 from 3-point range. They held the Wildcats to 37.3% from the field, and made NCAA leading scorer Nick Martinelli work for every look as he needed 19 attempts to score 20 points.

Tyler Bilodeau scored 18 and finished 7 for 11 from the field. Sophomore Trent Perry also had 18 points, scoring in double-digits for the fifth time in six games since entering the starting lineup for Skyy Clark (hamstring).

Bilodeau transferred the momentum from his game-winning shot on Tuesday to Saturday. He started the game 6 for 6 and made a 3-pointer from the left wing to give UCLA a nine-point lead. Northwestern answered with 3s from Jordan Clayton and Max Green to restore a one-possession margin.

Perry navigated the lane for consecutive baskets in the paint. He bumped a Northwestern defender to create space for the first, and pump-faked passed another for the second.

Bilodeau hit his fourth 3-pointer. Eric Dailey Jr. skipped a pass to Jamar Brown for an open 3. Perry dribbled into a 15-footer in the short corner to help UCLA build a double-digit advantage at halftime.

Donovan Dent continued to carve the opponent’s ball-screen coverage. He fed Bilodeau on three of those first-half 3s. He penetrated and kicked to Dailey for a corner 3-pointer early in the second half, and drove for a scooping right-handed layup to give UCLA a 50-36 lead.

Despite another positive effort, Dent still had some struggles. He botched a wide open dunk, leading head coach Mick Cronin to sit cross-legged on the bench, pondering the mistake for an entire minute. He threw an errant behind-the-back pass that got a scream out of Cronin, and went just 2 of 7 from the free throw line.

UCLA was efficient on offense, but its defense proved the difference.

After Tuesday’s game, Cronin acknowledged “it’s been a fight this year” to press the right buttons on defense. Recently, Cronin has seen improvements in connectedness, awareness and effort.

It has resulted in UCLA holding four of its last five opponents under 70 points.

On Saturday, the Bruins stayed in front of Wildcats’ drivers, played strong help defense, timely double-teamed Martinelli, and, most importantly, ended most possessions after one shot — grabbing rebounds on 75.7% of Northwestern’s misses.

Part of the recent emphasis on UCLA’s defense has meant a slower pace on offense to minimize opponents’ possessions. It’s a risky strategy, however, because if the Bruins aren’t opportunistic offensively, opponents can keep games close.

The Wildcats, suffocated by the Bruins’ defense, didn’t make a field goal for a 9:42 stretch in the second half, but with a handful of free throws and a 3-pointer from Green, they found themselves only down six with 2:54 to play.

After a timeout to help UCLA regroup, Perry found Brown for a 3-pointer that restored comfort.

​ Orange County Register 

UC Irvine women see win streak end in showdown with UC San Diego

• January 25, 2026

IRVINE — The UC Irvine women’s basketball team is back to square one after a 68-66 loss to UC San Diego on Saturday afternoon at the Bren Events Center.

The Anteaters had won a program record 16 consecutive games and were 8-0 in conference play for the first time ever, but UCSD used a 13-0 run to grab the lead in the second quarter and never trailed again.

UCI lost at home for the first time since a Feb. 15 game against Hawaii.

“It’s definitely getting a lot more physical, which we expect,” UCI coach Tamara Inoue. “We have to be able to sustain that. We’re doing better at it, taking care of it. It’s just today we didn’t take care of our turnovers.”

After cutting the deficit to 65-64 on a 3-pointer by Summah Hanson with 1:58 left in the game, the Anteaters turned the ball over on their next three possessions.

UCI (17-3 overall, 8-1 Big West) still had a chance to win the game after Jada Wynn stole a pass and the Anteaters called timeout with 12 seconds left and trailing by two.

Wynn ended up getting an open look at the basket on a 3-point attempt from the wing, but the shot bounced off the rim with two seconds left and the Tritons (13-6, 8-1) celebrated the victory after losing their first conference game on Thursday night against visiting UC Davis.

UCSD scored 24 points off 14 UCI turnovers, while the Anteaters collected 12 points off 11 giveaways.

“We’re OK with turning the ball over, but we’ve just got to get the stops,” Inoue said. “I thought that was probably our biggest weakness today, was just kind of putting our heads down a little bit maybe and then not playing on the defensive side, which is what we’re pretty good at.”

Hunter Hernandez had 19 points and 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season for UCI, and Hanson finished with a season-high 18 points.

Hanson has been working her way back from offseason foot surgery.

“I thought today was a good game for her,” Inoue said. “She rebounded really well for us and hit some timely shots. This is something we expect from her. She’s coming off a surgery, so I think she’s just finding her footing and it’s slowly coming. The kid just works every day and stays so positive so, hopefully, she’s turning this corner now and we’ll start to get the Summah we know.”

Hernandez came in averaging a team-high 19.3 points per game, but she was primarily guarded by Makayla Rose, the Big West Defensive Player of the Year at UC Riverside last season.

Rose limited Hernandez to just three shots and four points in the first half as the Tritons built a 32-29 halftime lead.

Hernandez made her only basket of the first half on a pull-up 3-pointer that ignited a 9-0 run and gave the Anteaters their biggest lead of the game at 16-8.

UCI took a 20-15 lead into the second quarter and Hanson sank a fadeaway on the first possession to stretch the lead to seven, but the Tritons came back with the 13-0 run over the next six minutes to take a 28-22 lead.

The Anteaters tied the score at 38-all in the third quarter, but the Tritons came back with a 7-0 run and UCI still faced a seven-point deficit entering the fourth, the second straight game when it trailed entering the final frame.

UCI also struggled to find an answer for Erin Condron, UCSD’s 6-foot-4 center, who finished with 19 points and seven rebounds.

“She was really good tonight,” Inoue said. “For us, we didn’t score against her. I thought she had some good blocks against us. She just got too many open looks for us on the other side.”

Rosa Smith scored 20 points to lead the Tritons, shooting 4 for 6 from 3-point range.

BIG WEST STANDINGS

Team – Overall, Big West

UC Irvine – 17-3, 8-1

UC San Diego – 13-6, 8-1

UC Santa Barbara – 15-3, 7-2

UC Davis – 14-6, 7-2

Cal State Fullerton – 11-9, 7-3

UC Riverside – 6-13, 4-5

Hawaii – 10-9, 4-5

Cal State Northridge – 6-12, 2-7

Cal Poly (SLO) – 3-16, 1-8

Long Beach State – 2-17, 1-8

Cal State Bakersfield – 6-13, 1-8

​ Orange County Register 

Fatal shooting of nurse in Minneapolis on Saturday sparks anti-ICE protests in Southern California

• January 25, 2026

Southern Californian protesters joined others around the nation on Saturday Jan. 24, to express shock, sorrow and outrage after a man was shot and killed earlier that day during an altercation with federal immigration officers in Minneapolis.

About 70 people gathered around 5 p.m. at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights to protest Alex Pretti’s death, which was recorded on video and shared on social media.

Protesters waved signs with slogans like “Justice for all those murdered by ICE, “ICE out of LA. ICE out of Boyle Heights,” “Justice for Alex,” and “Legalization for All.” A shrine to Petti on Mariachi Plaza included flowers, crosses and candles.

Dozens of cars honked in response to the protesters with passengers leaning out the windows to join in the chanting.

Speakers at the Boyle Heights demonstration encouraged those gathered to organize and fight for immigrant rights. One speaker, Carlos Montes with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, blasted President Donald Trump.

“The federal government is out of whack because of the racist Trump reactionary agenda,” he said.

“A lot of you are very young,” Montes added. “You can commit yourself to justice… to revolution.”

The crowds cheered, shouting “long live the revolution!”

Shortly after 5 p.m., Los Angeles police posted on X that a protest march “stopped on Los Angeles St between Aliso and Temple blocking all lanes of southbound traffic.”

“Please use alternate route and avoid the area,” the post added. A later post indicated the protest had moved to the northbound lanes of Los Angeles Street.

Around 7 p.m., about 500 people gathered for a vigil in front of the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles. They held candles, prayed and cried.

“We’re here to stand with the family of Alex Pretti,” said speaker Anjelica Salas during the vigil. “We want the family to know that we’re here grieving with them, that there are people across America who know this is horrible, that it’s atrocious.”

“We are the people of America,” she continued, met with cheers from the crowd. “We are the people that will not be silent when we see injustice.”

In Santa Ana, demonstrators gathered late Saturday afternoon at a vigil organized by Community Services Organization Orange County (CSO OC) at the intersection of Bristol and First streets.

Passing drivers honked in support as the crowd grew to more than 50 people by the end of the protest.

“We’re seeing really intense repression like we haven’t seen in a long time. People are being murdered for simply ICE watching,” said Rain Mendoza, a member of CSO OC’s Immigration Committee.

“There are a lot of ICE watchers here in Santa Ana. This is what the OC Rapid Response Network does. Some of our members go to community hubs and Home Depots to observe in case ICE comes. We’re saying this violence is not okay.”

Mendoza said immigration enforcement actions extend beyond undocumented immigrants.

“They’re detaining not just immigrants. They’re detaining U.S. citizens,” she said.

“They’re racially profiling. Who are they going after? They’re going after Chicano people. I’m a Chicana. I’m legal, but they could stop me because of my accent, because of what I look like.”

“They kill us, and they kill us with no accountability,” Mendoza added.

A 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse at a Veterans Administration hospital, Pretti, a U.S. citizen, was protesting President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in his city.

Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that federal officers were conducting an operation and fired “defensive shots” after a man with a handgun approached them and “violently resisted” when officers tried to disarm him.

In bystander videos of the shooting that emerged soon after, Pretti is seen with a phone in his hand but none appear to show him with a visible weapon.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said police believe the man was a “lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.”

Pretti was shot just over a mile from where an ICE officer shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Good on Jan. 7, sparking widespread protests

In addition to demonstrations in LA and Santa Ana on Saturday, protests also are planned for Sunday, Jan. 25 in Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

This is a developing story. Please check back for more.

​ Orange County Register 

Horse racing: Skippylongstocking wins Pegasus World Cup in upset

• January 25, 2026

Skippylongstocking and jockey Tyler Gaffalione rallied on the outside for a $45.20 upset in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Saturday, denying his Saffie Joseph Jr. barnmate White Abarrio a repeat in the $3 million race for older horses at Gulfstream Park in Florida.

Seven-year-old Skippylongstocking regained the form of his win in the Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita last spring.

Test Score ($17.20), set up by a strong autumn in California, won the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational with rider Manny Franco as One Stripe completed a 1-2 finish for trainer Graham Motion.

At Santa Anita, Bob Baffert-trained Nafisa ($6.60) and jockey Kazushi Kimura won the $100,000 La Canada Stakes for fillies and mares.

​ Orange County Register