East County Sports

Hawks men fall late, women done early

2019 SAN DIEGO CHRISTIAN HAWKS BASKETBALL

East County Sports staff report

EL CAJON (1-25-2019) – A Red Flag warning has permeated the Golden State Athletic Conference: beware the San Diego Christian College men’s basketball team.

Ever since the Hawks upended 2nd-ranked The Master’s College, GSAC opponents have refused to take them lightly. And it’s resulted in a string of losses.

On Thursday (Jan. 24), another NAIA nationally-ranked club came to town, but this one barely survived.

No. 9 rated Vanguard University forward Geremy McKay scored 6 of the Lions’ final 8 points in overtime, capped by a layin with six second remaining, nipping San Diego Christian, 92-90  in a thriller held at Grossmont College.

All 22 points in the extra session came on alternating baskets, as Vanguard would take the lead, only to watch the Hawks counter to tie. But when McKay got inside for his bucket in the closing seconds, SDCC didn’t have enough time to release a final-second, 3-point shot in a tough defeat against the GSAC leaders.

McKay, a forward, finished with team-highs of 21 points and 7 rebounds for Vanguard (20-1 overall, 8-1 GSAC).\For San Diego Christian (6-12, 2-7 SAC) saw senior guard Derek Novsek poured home a game-best 31-points, including a 3-point shot with 25 seconds left in regulation to grave an 80-76 lead.

However, the Lions got even a McKay basket from the paint 21 seconds left, then guard Malachi Hoosein hit a pair of game-ting foul shots with 2 seconds to go after a Hawks player committed a simultaneous turnover and foul to prevent a breakaway.

The ballgame was also level at 42-all through the first half.

For Vanguard, Hoosein, the club scoring leader, added 19 points. Last week, he was named both GSAC ad NAIA national player of the week.
Meanwhile, Brandon Brothers had 16 points and 4 assists aqs part of the Lions’ 4-guard formation.

For the Hawks, guard Hayden Fredrick was second behind Novsek with 16 points.  Coming off the bench to score in double figures were Hayden Williams (13 points) and Steven Dreifuss( 10).

Both San Diego Christian clubs have the weekend off, resuming play next Thursday with road games at Ottawa University of Arizona in Surprise, Ariz.

Women

No. 9 Vanguard 71, San Diego Christian 45: The 9th-ranked Lions utilized a 19-2 run in the first quarter to vanquish the host Hawks in Thursday’s (Jan. 24) GSAC contest at Grossmont College.

Four members of the Hawks — Kaitlyn McKinney, Henriette Gahmig, Hannah Myers and Mykiah Trotter scored –each scored 8 points to account for 32 of the team’s 45 points. 

Vanguard (15-5 overall, 7-3 GSAC) tallied the game’s first 17 points in the opening 7 minutes before Trotter snapped the scoreless span with 3:07 remaining in the opening period.

Vanessa Murphy paced the Lions with game-highs of 23 points and 15 rebounds.

The Hawks fell to 7-15 (1-8 GSAC).

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