COSTA MESA, Calif. - The Vanguard University Men's Basketball team (7-3, 3-2) would look to avenge their five-point loss to Hope International (1-1, 1-1) two days prior. They would respond in a big way as they would break four records as a team while Garrett White and Nico Dasco would record career-high marks in scoring in a 110-97 win over the Royals.
What Happened? Garrett White paced the Lions with nine early points on perfect shooting from the field, but Hope International was able to force five turnovers that led to 11 points as they got out to an early four-point lead. The Royals would push their lead further as they went on an 11-0 run to take a 31-21 lead, forcing a timeout by the Pride. James Moore would hit a couple of layups and White and Masie Mohammadi would hit a couple of threes each as the Pride jumped back in front at the 5:14 mark in the first. White would continue his run of perfection for the full 20 minutes as he finished the half with 20 points on 6-6 shooting from the field, 4-4 from deep, and 4-4 from the charity stripe, as the Lions held a 55-50 edge at the end of the first.
Aziz Seck would score six of the first eight points out of the break for the Lions as they were able to hold a four-point margin until the twelve-minute mark in the second half. From that point, the Pride would break out a 12-2 run to build a thirteen-point advantage as Phillip Willis hit back-to-back jumpers and a three-ball. Seck would record his eighteenth point of the game, a season-high mark for the forward, at the 6:05 mark as the Blue and Gold pushed their lead to 94-77. The Lions would break the 100-point mark for the first time since November 2019 en route to a 110-97 win.
Why It's Important? This game had plenty of historical significance as the Lions would record the third-most points in a single game, the second-most field goals made, the fifth-best field goal percentage, and the third-best three-point percentage. From an individual standpoint, Garrett White was a single point away from cracking the top ten in points scored while Nico Dasca would record a career-high in points with 17.
Top Performers: White had 32 points on 10-13 shooting from the field, while going 5-6 from deep and 7-7 at the line. Aziz Seck would record 18 points and seven rebounds on 9-13 shooting, while Dasca and Phillip Willis would record 17 points each, a career-high mark for Dasca. All in all, five members of the Pride would score in double figures as the team shot 62% from the field, 65% from beyond the arc, and 73% from the free-throw line.
What They Said: "Tonight we really wanted to make a statement and prove that we were the better team. Hope has a very talented team and is a group that if underestimated will sneak up on you," said Isaac Davis. "We learned that the hard way on Tuesday and made sure it didn't repeat tonight. With our postseason hopes on the line, we made sure to give it our all tonight and I think tonight was the most together we have been all year offensively. Giving up 97 points on the defensive end shows we have plenty of room for improvement as a team. We aren't celebrating tonight's win because we know that the job isn't finished until we complete the series victory on Saturday."
What's Next: The last game of the three-game series against the Royals will take place at home for the Lions with the contest starting at 6:00 p.m.
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