Riverside, Calif. – The Golden Eagles men's basketball team hosted the University of Antelope Valley in their home opener and Cal Pac conference opener. La Sierra was unable to contain the blistering shooting of the Pioneers, and eventually fell by a final score of 116-89.
The Pioneers pushed out to an early lead over the first five minutes of play, but the Golden Eagles quickly fought their way back to take their first, and only, lead of the contest midway through the first half. By the end of the first half, the Pioneers extended their lead to 58-48 heading into the halftime break.
In the second half, the two teams jockeyed back-and-forth over the first five minutes of play, but midway through the second frame the Pioneers pushed their lead to 82-64.
They did so on the back of their three-point shooting, which they finished the game going 18-for-27 (67%) from beyond the arc. For the game, they shot a total of 60 percent from the field, on 38-of-63 shooting, including a solid 85 percent from the free throw line (22-for-26).
The Golden Eagles, who struggled on both sides of the ball on Thursday evening at Westmont, found their footing offensively by scoring a season high 89 points and tying a season-high with 20 offensive rebounds. But they were unable to cool the hot shooting hands of Antelope Valley. The Golden Eagles shot 42 percent from the field but struggled from the free throw line, going just 25-of-40 from the charity stripe.
The Pioneers had a total of six players who tallied double-figures in scoring with Aragad Abramian connecting for 5-of-6 from beyond the arc for a total of 21 points. Miles Nolan-Webb also factored in with a double-double of 16 points and 10 assists. He was just one rebound shy of notching a triple-double.
Kyle Hamilton led the Golden Eagles in scoring with 24 points. Isaac Deese added 18 points, while Christian Jackson pitched in with 15 points.
Reynaldo Solorzano came off of the bench to score nine points and pull-down seven rebounds, while Curtis Brisbane tied him for the team-high in rebounds (7) to go along with six points and a team high four assists with no turnovers.
The men's basketball team, now 0-1 in Cal Pac play (0-9 overall) will not play another conference game until January. They are still in search of their first win of the season and will host Chapman University on Friday afternoon, at 2pm, in the first game of a back-to-back doubleheader this weekend.
