Box Score
Photo Gallery (images by
Rob Garcia)
Oakland, CA -- Finally back on the mainland after their trip to Hawaii, the Academy of Art University men's basketball team seems to once again be getting into a groove offensively, but the pesky Holy Names University squad was able to hit two big shots that decided Tuesday night's contest. The first was a three-pointer that sent the game into overtime while the second sealed the game with under a minute to play as the Urban Knights came up short in an 83-80 contest.
"It was a tough loss for us tonight, but despite it all, I'm encouraged by some of the things I saw out there," said head coach
Julius Barnes. "I thought we did a much better job of executing offensively, particularly when we moved the ball. Defensively, we did a better job of communicating and getting out to the shooters.However, there was a breakdown at the end of regulation that allowed Dorn to get a clean look and force overtime. Ultimately, we've got to be able to focus for 40 minutes and not have those types of breakdowns."
Over the past year, the matchup between the two Bay Bridge rivals has been especially heated, with the Urban Knights sweeping the two games last year. The first tilt of this season was fought tooth and nail from the beginning, as both teams were slow to get started. It took the Knights over three minutes to finally get on the scoreboard, but when they did they quickly came back to take a 6-4 lead at the first media timeout.
Holy Names retook control, opening up their biggest lead of the half at the 8-minute media timeout, a 22-17 lead with 7:45 to go on a free-throw from Terrance Swayne. But the Knights evened the odds, coming back to pull within one when freshman Herman Pratt hit a three-pointer to beat the shot clock and then coming up with a big block at the other end to send the two teams into halftime separated by a point, with the Hawks leading 33-32.Â
ART U would tie the game heading into the first media timeout of the second half, as
Alexis Moore's layup inside made it 38-38 with 16:41 on the clock. A three-pointer from Dante Robinson stretched HNU's lead to the biggest by either side in the contest, at a 47-40 advantage with 13:27 to go, but the Knights scored the next eight points to take a 48-47 lead, capped off by Pratt gathering a rebound and putting it back in with 11:11 left in the game.
"Herman continues to make big plays for us," said Barnes. "He is fearless and brings much to the table. Defensively, he is a ball hawk and offensively he continues to improve. Quite honestly, the sky is the limit for him."
Pratt would make a jumper to put the Knights back up 50-48, and then Moore hit three straight from beyond the arc to give the Knights a six-point lead at 59-53. The Urban Knights continued to hold the lead, as they were up at both media timeouts down the stretch. But with time winding down, the Hawks came back into the game. ART U led by five with 2:41 left, but HNU closed it to a 68-67 Knights' lead with 1:22 to play. Moore made a jumper but Joshua Crum sunk two free-throws with under a minute to play, and then
Alex Carmon put the Knights up by three with 27 seconds left. Carl Dorn took a shot for the Hawks with 15 ticks on the clock that went in, and with the Knights holding for the last shot, Carmon's jumper in traffic as time expired didn't fall, and the game went to overtime tied at 72-72.Â
In the extra period, it continued to go back and forth, with four more ties in the overtime, the last at 78-78 with 3:04 left. Dorn made another big three to put HNU up to stay, as the Knights got a layup from
Rodrigo Maza to make it 81-80 with two minutes left. Crum and Dorn both sunk free-throws in the final minute, and the Knights had two chances to either tie or win, but couldn't get the final shot in the bucket, falling in the end as Carmon's buzzer-beater hit the backboard and the rim but not the bottom of the net.
Carmon would end the game with a game-high 24 points, which moved him into sole possession of third place all-time on the career leaderboard with 632 points. Moore followed with 19 points and six rebounds before fouling out in overtime. Maza had 12 points and nine rebounds, while the Knights outshot and out-rebounded the Hawks. The duo of Dorn (24pts) and Crum (18pts) were key for Holy Names, as Crum got 14 of his 18 points from the free-throw line.Â
"It's been a tough month on the road for us and we're glad to be coming back home," said Barnes. "We know that we'll face some good teams, but it will be good to be back in a familiar place."
ART U will have the weekend off before the first of three games next week, opening their homestand against UH Hilo on Monday evening in San Francisco.