Men’s Basketball: Lions can’t finish
The Vanguard University men’s basketball team had two chances in the final three seconds to win, then tie Golden State Athletic Conference co-leader Arizona Christian.
But after missing a pair of three-point attempts in those fateful possessions of a 78-75 home setback Thursday, the defending NAIA and conference champion Lions now have only once chance remaining to save their season.
The loss drops Vanguard to 14-11, 6-6 in conference, while no. 7-ranked Arizona Christian improves to 21-5, 10-2 and remains tied with No. 10-ranked Concordia atop the standings, one-half game ahead of No. 5-ranked Hope International.
Vanguard, four games out of first with four conference games remaining, will not defend its conference crown. And, having played itself out of an at-large berth to the NAIA Tournament, according to Coach Rhett Soliday, only a GSAC Tournament title would allow the Lions to attempt to defend their national championship.
“Our focus right now is to be the best team in the conference at the end of February and I think [winning the GSAC Tournament] is within our reach,” Soliday said.
An upset appeared within the Lions’ reach, when a layup by Zach Allmon, who had 16 of his game-high 20 points after halftime, put the hosts up, 68-59, with 5:06 remaining.
A 9-0 run by the Firestorm tied it with 3:12 left, but Vanguard senior All-American guard Chris Gorman netted a three-pointer to put his team up by three with 2:56 left.
After a free throw and a subsequent three-point play gave Arizona Christian a 72-71 advantage, Vanguard guard Myles Smith slipped in the frontcourt and lost control of the ball. Arizona Christian’s Bobby Gray dived on the loose ball and called timeout, and the subsequent possession produced a Sharif Watson dunk that put the visitors up, 74-71, with 1:11 left.
After the two teams exchanged free throws, Allmon connected on a pair from the foul line to pull the Lions within 76-75 with 14.5 seconds left.
The visitors made the second of two free throws with 11.6 ticks remaining and Vanguard worked to get Gorman an open look from 23 feet just two steps to the right of the top of the key. But potential go-ahead shot did not draw iron.
After Arizona Christian made one of two free throws to finalize the scoring with 1.5 seconds left, Vanguard’s final shot, from just beyond half court, also failed to connect with the rim.
“We are right there this year and we continue to find ways to have it slip away,” said Soliday, whose team missed seven of eight free-throw attempts during a stretch of nearly three minutes late in the second half to help the Firestorm keep smoldering while behind.
Smith also surrendered the ball in the backcourt against full-court pressure with 3:20 left for one of the most costly of Vanguard’s 12 turnovers.
“Missed free throws and some untimely turnovers,” Soliday said. “Arizona Christian is a legit top-10 team, and so to win those games, you have to make all those plays.”
Seven of Vanguard’s nine missed free throws (it was 14 for 23) came in the final 6:17.
The Lions assumed control with the inside scoring of the 6-foot-8 Allmon (eight for 12 from the field) and 6-6 senior Keith Mason (five for eight from the field on his way to 14 points), as the two combined for 26 of the Lions’ 38 second-half points.
But Mason, who had a game-high 14 rebounds and added five assists, was four for nine from the foul line.
Gorman, who finished four of 15 from the field and had 14 points, missed three of his eight foul shots. He led all players with nine assists and three steals.
Senior guard DeAngelo Jones had all 12 of his points in the first half, after which Vanguard led, 37-34.
The score was tied 11 times and there were nine lead changes.
Vanguard posted a 42-32 rebounding advantage and both teams shot 44.4% from the field.
Arizona Christian had a 23-9 edge in bench scoring.
“The tricky thing about pounding it inside late in games is that our bigs, in general, haven’t shot well from the free-throw line,” Soliday said. “When they started fouling us, it becomes a tough call, whether to focus more on the guards, or continue to pound it in, knowing they are going to make you convert at the line.”
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Golden State Athletic Conference
Arizona Christian 78, Vanguard 75
AC – Watson 14, king 12, Navar 2, Newman 18, Gray 9, Helms 15, Wood 4, Lawson 4.
3-pt. goals – King 3, Newman 2.
Fouled out – Navar.
Technicals – None.
VU – Allmon 20, Mason 14, Gorman 14, Jones 12, Smith 6, Ware 5, Hoosein 3, Hann 1.
3-pt. goals – Jones 2, Gorman 1, Hoosein 1, Ware 1.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
Halftime – 37-34, VU.