Box Score

By Ron Smith
January 12, 2017
 
(ROCKLIN, Calif.) Despite a career-high 32 points from senior guard Cory Blau, #7 Westmont (15-2, 4-1 GSAC), dropped an overtime game to Golden State Athletic Conference opponent William Jessup (13-5, 3-1) by a score of 103-96.
 
Blau was 11 of 18 from the floor including six of nine from 3-point range. He also made four of four from the charity stripe. In addition, Blau had six rebounds and three assists.
 
"Jessup played well and played with a lot of emotion," said Westmont head coach John Moore. "We just didn't play the defensive game we needed to play. Anytime you give up 103 points, including 20 points in a five-minute overtime, that will bury you every time. Our defense, which has been one of our mainstays, was not quite what we needed it to be tonight."
 
Westmont shot 52.3 percent from the floor and 59.1 percent from 3-point range, but had trouble with turnovers and rebounding.  Westmont, committed 21 turnovers in the game, resulting in 24 opponent's points. William Jessup out rebounded the Warriors 41-36 and tallied 20 offensive rebounds, though they managed just 12 second chance points.
 
Jessup jumped out to a 14-7 in the first three and one-half minutes, but the Warriors scored the next seven points on layups by Sean McDonnell (15 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists) and Sam Bentz (4 points) and a 3-point bucket by Jerry Karczewski to tie the game. Karczewski, who was five of seven from beyond the arc, tallied 17 points for the Warriors.
 
Jessup grabbed the lead again with Westmont chasing after and tying the game at 22, 24 and 29 points apiece. The Warriors first and only lead of the opening frame came with 3:50 showing on the clock when Karczewski buried a three in the net to put the Warriors up 32-31.
 
Within a minute, Jessup's Chris Murry (14 points, 4 rebounds) replied in kind and Kelton Newman (7 points) followed Murray's lead to restore Jessup to a five-point advantage 37-32. Ultimately, Jessup would carry an eight-point lead into the locker room (49-41.)
 
In the first two and one-half minutes of the second half, Jessup extended its lead to 12 points, posting a 56-44 advantage.
 
That, however, is when momentum shifted in favor of Westmont.
 
After Karczewski drained another 3-pointer, Blau scored on a layup in the paint. Blau was fouled on the play and after much deliberation, the officials charged a level one flagrant foul against a Jessup player, awarding Blau three free throws. Blau sank them all to produce a five-point play and a 56-53 score.
 
A steal by Blau resulted in yet another three from Karczewski, tying the game at 56. Hayden Anderson (11 points, 5 assists) and Sean Harman (11 points, 6 rebounds) added a layup and a jumper respectively to complete a 16-0 run and turn the scoreboard to 60-56 in favor of Westmont.
 
"We really battled in the second half," said Moore. "We took the lead and I thought we could have continued with the momentum we had. But we got a little bit careless with defensive rebounds and a little bit careless with our turnovers. Those two things were the things that hurt us the most."
 
Westmont held the lead for the next four minutes, before William Jessup took a 66-64 lead with 9:35 showing on the second-half clock. The score would remain within four points over the next five minutes until Jessup's Elijah Lewis (17 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds) scored on a layup to put Jessup up 75-70.
 
A couple of free throws by Harman put the Warriors within three, but Jessup's Michael Patterson (16 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists) scored to restore a five-point cushion to the home team (77-72) with 5:22 to play.
 
More than a minute later, McDonnell scored in the paint, making the score 77-74. Another minute passed before Blau struck from long distance to tie the game at 77-all.
 
Jessup's Brandon Lindsey (16 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds) scored on their next possession, but Blau nailed another 3-pointer to regain the lead for Westmont at 80-79 with 2:22 remaining.
 
A jumper by Lindsey with 1:19 showing on the clock returned the lead to Jessup (81-79). However, Blau knocked down yet another three with 1:03 to go, giving Westmont an 83-81 lead.
 
"We didn't get a couple of breaks late," noted Moore. "We had the ball with a two-point lead and got a tough call. I was wanting to extend that lead to four, but we just didn't execute well. A turnover and defensive rebound, that's what it came down to.
 
With just 13 second remaining in regulation, Lindsey drove the lane and scored again, tying the game at 83.
 
"We had the ball in Hayden Anderson's hands with a chance to win the game," noted Moore. "We felt like we could attack his player. Jessup did a nice job walling Hayden up but he got a shot off anyway. We might have even had a figure on the ball for a second chance tip-in."
 
The ball did not fall through the netting, however, and time expired with the score tied.
 
Overtime belonged to the home team, which scored the first four points and never looked back.
 
The loss brought an end to Westmont's 12-game winning streak. It was the first loss for the Warriors since the Friday after Thanksgiving.
 
The Warriors will remain in Northern California for a game on Saturday afternoon at Menlo. Tip-off is scheduled for four o'clock.