SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.- It was heartbreak for the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds as they fell in an overtime thriller to the Academy of Art Urban Knights 68-60 Friday night at Kezar Pavilion.
The Sunbirds came out strong in the opening half, setting the tone with solid execution on both ends of the floor. Isaac Peralta ignited the offense early with quick drives to the basket, scoring on layups and converting free throws after drawing fouls, tallying nine first-half points and contributed three key rebounds.
The team's defensive intensity was apparent right from the tip. Cooper Sheldon anchored the defense, disrupting passing lanes and securing a steal that led to an easy transition layup. The Sunbirds forced eight turnovers in the half, translating them into seven points off turnovers, which proved critical in maintaining momentum. Sheldon also chipped in offensively with a perfectly timed three-pointer at the end of the first period, giving the Sunbirds a much-needed cushion.
In the paint, Harrison Pennisi was a force, battling for position and securing five rebounds, including an offensive board that he turned into a putback layup. The Sunbirds recorded eight second-chance points, capitalizing on their dominance on the glass, out rebounding the Urban Knights 18-14.
The bench was another bright spot for the 'Birds, contributing a whopping 18 points in the first half. Off the bench, Jonah Geron proved especially impactful, going 3-for-5 from beyond the arc.
The Urban Knights struggled to find consistent offense early but stayed competitive as they relied on their transition game, scoring 14 fast-break points to offset their shooting struggles.
Fresno Pacific held the slight edge up 68-60 at the half.
The momentum shifted in the second half as the Urban Knights intensified their defensive pressure. Academy of Art forced the Sunbirds into 11 second-half turnovers, many of which led to fast-break opportunities. ART U proved dominant in the paint, combining for 20 points and 8 rebounds in the half.
Fresno Pacific struggled to find consistency on offense, relying on Peralta's penetration and Geron's perimeter shooting to stay within striking distance. Despite seven points off turnovers and solid contributions from Harrison Pennisi in the post, the Sunbirds couldn't regain control as the game went into overtime knotted at 60 a piece.
In the six-minute overtime, the Sunbirds were completely shut out. Missed shots, poor rebounding, and turnovers sealed the Sunbirds fate as they ultimately fell 68-60 to the Urban Knights.
"I thought we found our feet a little on defense tonight, a really comprehensive effort, consistent on the defensive side of the ball, a marked improvement for us on that end," said head coach C.J. Haydock. "I thought we had some really good stretches offensively, but that we just have some bad decision making down the stretch that costs us." "Tonight was a missed opportunity for us, but it's also substantial growth in adverse situation with the level of physicality in that game, and lots of guys with foul trouble." Haydock concluded saying, "we will try to lean in to some of that defensive growth and just keep improving offensively in our ball security and decision making."
Fresno Pacific will continue to look for their first PacWest win next Wednesday, December 18th as they head to Santa Barbara for a rematch with the Westmont Warriors at 3:00pm. Both games will be streamed live on PacWest Network.
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