By Tim Heiduk
February 15, 2020
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) The Westmont men's basketball team (25-2 overall, 14-1 GSAC) clinched at least a share of the Golden State Athletic Conference regular season title with a 74-69 victory over Vanguard (13-13, 6-8) in Costa Mesa on Saturday night. It's the Warriors' first conference title since 2013.

As regular season champions, the team will host the GSAC Tournament as the number one seed and claim one of the conference's two automatic bids into the NAIA National Tournament.
 
By winning just one of its three remaining GSAC regular season games, or a loss by both Arizona Christian (20-6, 10-4) and Menlo (16-7, 10-4), Westmont will win the outright conference title.
 
"It was a hard fought victory against a team who plays very well on its home court," Westmont head coach John Moore said. "I told the guys I'm very proud of them and I've been encouraged by the way they've played together throughout the season."
 
Vanguard scored the first basket of the game to take a 2-0 advantage, but that was the only lead the Lions would have all night long. Westmont led by as many as 14 points in the first half before taking a 44-34 lead into the locker room.
 
"In the first half, Tristan Lloyd was burying 3-pointer after 3-pointer," Moore said. "I thought Tristan did some very important things for us at key times."
 
The Warriors maintained their double-digit lead for much of the second half until the Lions reduced Westmont's advantage to just two with 3:31 remaining in regulation.
 
"I thought when we went up by 14, we were in good shape," Moore said. "But never is the case with the Vanguard Lions. You always have to finish the game. The last two games (at Vanguard), John Martony reminded me, we played them to overtime. I was a little fearful that that might have been the case (tonight)."
 
On the ensuing possession Warrior possession, a Gyse Hulsebosch 3-pointer made it a two-possession game.
 
Vanguard hit a triple of its own to get back to within two with 46 seconds left and had the opportunity to tie the game at the free throw line with 16 seconds to play, but the Lions missed both attempts.
 
Noah Fernando collected the rebound and sealed the game at the free throw line with two makes, which Moore called "the two biggest free throws he's taken in his career."
 
"I thought Gyse and Noah were the late game heroes," Moore said.
 
Westmont limited Vanguard to just four of 17 (23.5%) shooting from 3-point range, while the Warriors shot 11 for 29 (37.9%) from behind the arc. Moore was particularly impressed with his team's 3-point defense.
 
"One of our goals was to hold them to under 30% from the 3-point line and we were able to do that," Moore said.
 
Hunter Sipe led the Warriors with his second double-double of the season, recording 20 points (four for six 3-point shooting) and 13 rebounds.
 
"Hunter and Abram Carrasco were the heart and soul of our team tonight," Moore said. "Bram just continues to amaze me with what he's capable of doing. Hunter shot the lights out and was exceptional defensively."
 
After Sipe, Carrasco was next in points with 19, while Lloyd added season highs of 13 points and three triples made.
 
Westmont, winners of eight straight, will look to avenge its lone conference loss of the season and clinch the outright conference title on Saturday at #12 The Master's. Tip-off in Santa Clarita is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.