Utah Valley holds on to defeat Hawks in final D-1 game

OREM, Utah – In their last NCAA Div. I game of the year, the SDC men’s basketball team found themselves up early against Utah Valley. Unfortunately for the Hawks, the Wolverines found their stride late in the first half and held on to an 88-79 victory.

The Hawks led thanks to their hot shooting early on making their first five shots out of eight attempts to take a 12-6 lead. They led by as much as eight with 14:57 remaining in the half.

SDC held onto their lead until 5:57 left in the first. Shayne Travers regained the lead for the Hawks in the next possession as his layup made it 28-27.

Utah Valley then answered with a 14-5 run to end the half and with an eight point lead, 41-33. The Hawks led for 12:41 total in the first half.

The Wolverines then poured it on, increasing their lead to 27, 75-48, with 7:56 left to go in the game. But at their lowest point in the game, the Hawks battled back and showed no quit going on a huge run of their own. SDC cut the deficit to just nine points, going on a 25-7 run.

Nine points was the closest they would get the rest of the game.

Playing without their top two scorers, the Hawks shot 47 percent from the floor including 42 percent from beyond the arc. Daniel Nielsen led with 19 points and chipped in four assists. Mark Eden was next in double figures with 17 as Michael Lambertand Travers were also in double figures with 15 and 14 respectively.

The Hawks are back in GSAC play on Tuesday as they host The Master’s College at 7:30 p.m. at Grossmont College.

SANTA CLARITA – In the final game of The Master’s College Jersey Mike’s New Years Classic, the Hawks fell to Central Methodist 81-54 Wednesday night.

With the loss, the Hawks fall to 7-5 on the season while the Eagles improved to 9-4.

The Eagles never trailed in the game, as the Hawks only tied the game twice in the early going at 2-2 and 4-4. Central Methodist grew their lead by as much as 22 in the first half, shooting 53.8 percent from the floor and holding SDC to 30 percent.

SDC cut their deficit to 15 thanks to three consecutive shots made by the Hawks. Nathan Klekas started it off with a 3-pointer off a Dalante Dunklin pass. Dunklin then converted a layup with 15:44 remaining in the game to cut it to 17. Michael Lambert‘s layup got the Hawks within 15 but it was the closest SDC would get.

Dunklin led the Hawks with 18 points as Trevor English was next with 10. SDC finished 34.4 percent from the floor and only 4-of-21 from beyond the arc. The Eagles shot a 47.7 clip and 6-of-12 from 3-point land.

SDC will travel to Orem, Utah to take on NCAA Div. I Utah Valley on Jan. 2 before heading into GSAC play on Jan. 5 against The Master’s College.