SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Fresno Pacific men's basketball put up a valiant fight against Point Loma (16-4, 11-3 PacWest) 69-54 on Saturday evening at Golden Gym. The Sunbirds managed 19 points off the bench, contributing to their overall effort in the game.
"Thought we had really strong stretches tonight," said head coach
C.J. Haydock. "We had several runs where our defensive effort was outstanding. Ultimately, just not enough offensively in several stretches where we got outside of ourselves a bit, and that propels them in to easy offense. I thought Brandon Gibson Jr had another elite outing. There's more growth and discipline available to us, and excited to attack that with our group."
The first half began with the Sunbirds facing an early 7-point deficit but quickly responding.
Nick Davidson hit a 3-pointer at 16:22, followed by
Logan Kilbert's 3-pointer at 15:46, giving the Sunbirds an 8–7 lead. However, turnovers and fouls allowed Point Loma to regain momentum. Despite
Seth Brown's successful free throws late in the half, the Sunbirds trailed 38–30 at the end of the first half.
The Sunbirds initiated a comeback effort early in the second half, narrowing the gap with a series of successful three-pointers. At 17:01, Brown hit a crucial 3-pointer, assisted by
Isaac Peralta, bringing the score to 36–45.
Brandon Gibson Jr. continued the surge with a layup following another assist from Peralta, reducing Point Loma's lead to just two points at 14:06. Despite these efforts, the Sunbirds were unable to maintain momentum as Point Loma responded with effective scoring, extending their lead in the final minutes. The half concluded with the Sunbirds trailing 31–24, and the game ended with a final score of 69–54 in favor of Point Loma.
Gibson Jr. led the team with 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including two 3-pointers. Peralta contributed seven points and five assists.
Liam Switzer recorded two steals and added four points. Kilbert finished with nine points and grabbed six rebounds.
The Sunbirds hold a 9-11 overall record and are 8-6 in PacWest play.
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