FRESNO, Calif. – In what is already being hailed as an instant classic, #4 seed Academy of Art men's basketball went wire-to-wire with #1 seed Point Loma during their Pacific West Conference Championship Tournament Semifinal battle on Friday, but ART U saved its best stretch for last by closing the final period on an 8-0 run with six clutch points from junior guard Klay Brown to advance to the PacWest title game for the first time in school history with a 78-75 victory in overtime. 

"Tonight was a championship caliber game that went back-and-forth, and our guys rose to the occasion," said ART U Head Coach Scott Waterman. "Our 'never say die' attitude came in clutch when we were down five with a minute to play. I am so proud of our guys for everything this year and now it comes down to what we have been talking about all year: Playing for a championship. In a year of history for ART U basketball, what more could we ask for?" 

On a squad known for its active defense, the PacWest Defender of the Year scored six of the most important points of the night for the Urban Knights (19-11, 13-7). It started with a trio of free throws when Brown was fouled on a three-point attempt after a crucial steal by graduate student guard Denny Slay.

Junior forward Mike Asante would be just as important to the finish over the Sea Lions (21-9, 16-4 PacWest), as his team-leading fourth steal of the night would lead to the final possession for the Urban Knights. After a missed layup from ART U graduate student guard Joshua Bagley, Asante came up big again by snatching his ninth rebound of the game off a loose ball, ultimately kicking out to Brown who was standing on his own at the three-point line. Brown's big bucket would send the ART U bench and fans in attendance into a frenzy, as well as put the Knights into ART U's first PacWest Championship Final. 

Tonight's battle lived up to the billing of a semifinal matchup, as well as followed the pattern of both regular season games between the two sides, with both contests coming down to the wire (including a double-overtime affair) with each team winning on the other's home floor. Though this game would come at a neutral site, the contest was as close as could be throughout, featuring eight ties and 13 lead changes. It wasn't until late in the first half that either team would take a lead larger than four points, with ART U twice leading by seven late in the period. 

"It was a game where we told our guys from the very beginning there was going to be swings back-and-forth," Waterman said "We were going to have to move the ball on offense, and when we did that we got great shots. Defensively, I think our pressure really bothered them, and at the end of the day that's what won us the game."

Trailing by that same amount at the break, Point Loma quickly erased the deficit with a 7-0 run to begin the second half before ultimately snatching a four-point lead with 12 minutes remaining. It was then that the Urban Knights recaptured the momentum, using a 10-0 run (their largest run of the game) with half of the points coming from Slay on a shot from downtown and a jumper while Brown added a triple and Asante a layup. The lead would jump to eight points, ART U's largest of the game, but PacWest Player of the Year Kaden Anderson and teammate Ben Okhotin would each find the bottom of the net on three-balls in the final minutes, with Okhotin's coming in response to what had been a go-ahead triple from Asante, keeping the game tied to force the extra period. Though ART U would have a chance to win in regulation, a desperation 3-pointer from Asante would miss the mark.

Overtime would see yet another crucial three-ball from Okhotin, briefly putting a charge into the Point Loma that eventually turned into a five-point lead, which included the final four points of the night from Anderson. ART U would not back down and stuck to its identity in the final minutes, leading to its closing stretch to upset the top-seeded Sea Lions, snapping PLNU's 12-game winning streak that they had started prior to the tournament to capture the #1 seed. 

It was a full team effort for ART U in the win, as the Knights received a major contribution early on from sophomore forward Latrell Williams who dropped 11 points and six rebounds in the first half to help push Academy of Art in front. Meanwhile, the ART U defense was a factor yet again, snatching a total of 14 steals for the second consecutive game and hitting the double-digit steal mark for the 18th time this year. They also forced the Sea Lions into 23 total turnovers, the ninth time that ART U has caused an opponent to turn the ball over 20+ times. 

Brown would finish as the top scorer for ART U after he reached 20 points for the first time this season, pairing that with six defensive rebounds and a trio of steals. Asante would just miss out on a double-double after he ended the action with 14 points and nine rebounds, as well as capturing the team-high in assists with six. Meanwhile, Williams also ended in double-figures offensively by closing with 13 points and seen rebounds.

For its first ever PacWest Championship Final, ART U will face off against #2 seeded Azusa Pacific, who had been in the top spot of the PacWest until the final week when they were surpassed by the Sea Lions. Both games this year were won by Azusa Pacific, as the Knights will need to snap a 14-game losing streak against the Cougars if they wish to hoist their first ever PacWest trophy. 

"Our goal has been to build a champion, and we've now put ourselves in position to do so," Waterman said. "This is what we're all about. We're looking forward to going to play tomorrow."

Tomorrow's PacWest Championship title game between ART U and APU will tip off at 2 p.m.