(Mesa, AZ) The Park University Gilbert men’s basketball team (3-8, 0-0) lost 72-74 to the Briar Cliff University Chargers (7-7, 2-4), Friday night at Arizona Athletic Grounds.
A first half that was all Chargers and a second half that was all Buccaneers, coupled with two impressive individual outings from Park-Gilbert’s Toate Sika and Briar Cliff’s Matthew Stilwill, led up to a final five minutes of heated competition.
Park-Gilbert had a chance to send this match into overtime with possession and five seconds remaining, but couldn’t get a contested layup to fall at the buzzer.
Sika and Stilwill stole the show tonight, as both guards scored 25 points and combined for a perfect 11-11 from the free throw line. Sika also provided a strong defensive presence against the Chargers, recording four blocks and three steals.
Three other Bucs found themselves in double-digit scoring figures against Briar Cliff. Guard Latrell Jones scored an efficient 17 points, shooting 7-11 from the field and 2-3 from downtown. Guard Tanner Pate played all but two minutes tonight, scoring 12 points. Forward Aidan Moreno scored 11 points and blocked two shots. Jones, Pate, and Moreno, all tied for Park-Gilbert’s leader in rebounds with five.
The Buccaneers look to bounce back Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. MST, when they take on the Dakota Wesleyan University Tigers (9-3, 4-2) at Arizona Athletic Grounds.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Garrett Campbell
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