Box Score

San Bernardino, Calif (2/7/09)--- The Academy of Art University men's basketball team finished a grueling three-game road stint Saturday Feb.7 with a win against host institution American Sports University. The 62-61 victory gave the Urban Knights their fourth win of the season, and their second victory against ASU. Sophomore guard Phillip Samuel scored 29 points (13-of-22), one shy of tying his career-high, and freshman forward Lorenzo Dobson filled up the stat sheet with six points, 10 rebounds, two assists and a career-high four blocks.

Having played a previous contest on Jan. 2 in which the Eagles got down and rallied back, the AAU started strong again as Samuel scored six of his team's first eight points. ASU used its long-range shooting to stay right with the Knights and the squads battled through five ties in the opening period. Strong defense by Dobson and freshman forward Josiah Jungsten came forth in the form of a combined six blocks in the half to keep American Sports University in check.

Jungsten was also instrumental in igniting a 9-2 run by Academy of Art University to close out the final three and a half minutes. The teams would break for halftime with AAU up 28-24 following two made jumpers by Samuel.

In the second period, Samuel continued to stay hot and the Urban Knights pushed their lead to 10 at one point early on. Jungsten picked up two quick fouls just prior to that advantage so with him on the bench, ASU had a small run of their own to make the score 48-46 still in favor of the visitors. AAU responded with a 10-1 run capped by a 3-pointer from freshman point guard Marqus Crawford on a broken fast break with 9:16 remaining.

The Eagles' John Ward, who finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds, went to work and kept his team in the game so that a big trey by Pat Mitchell would bring ASU to within three points at the 4:30 mark. The squads went back and forth before Mitchell drained another jumper and the scoreboard now read 62-61 with Academy of Art University clinging to a one-point lead.

With under a minute to go, Samuel was called for an offensive foul and although the Eagles had an opportunity to win the game on a tough fall-away jumper in the corner, it missed and the Knights would capture their fourth win of the season.

In addition to his game-high 29 points, Samuel also added four assists, three rebounds and three steals. Crawford, who connected on three 3-pointers in the game, finished with 11 points, three assists and three steals. Sophomore point guard Weleh Dennis distributed eight assits and added four points while freshman forward Hunter Hayden scored seven points and pulled eight rebounds.

Behind Ward's 20 and 11, Mitchell and Jules Clark combined for 30 points and eight 3-pointers. ASU shot just under 36% from the field, however, and were out-scored on fastbreak points 10-2.

AAU returns to Kezar Pavilion for their final game of the season against Notre Dame de Namur University on Feb. 21. Tip off is set for 7:30 PM.