COSTA MESA, Calif. – In a game the team led from start to finish, seven players scored in double figures to propel the Vanguard men's basketball team to an impressive 93-70 victory over The Master's on Saturday evening at The Pit.
The Lions shot 53.6 percent from the field, improving to 10-0 this season when making half of their shots or better.
Playing without their top two scorers in Garrett White (SR/Post Falls, ID) and Isaac Davis (SR/Valencia, CA), the Lions leaned instead on their outstanding depth. Forward Christian Wilson (SR/Temecula, CA) led the way with 17 points on an efficient 6-of-8 from the floor. He also tied his career high with eight rebounds.
Masie Mohammadi (SR/San Carlos, CA) and Phillip Willis (JR/San Diego, CA) each hit three triples en route to 14 and 13 points, respectively. Andre Allen (SR/Los Angeles, CA) and Nico Dasca (JR/Costa Mesa, CA) contributed 12 points apiece off the bench.
Making his first start of the season, guard Jordan Caruso (JR/New York, NY) added 11 points and four rebounds. Forward James Moore (SR/Talco, TX) matched Caruso's stat line as he reached double figures for the fifth straight game.
The three-pointer fell with regularity against the Mustangs, the Lions connecting for 11 in 20 attempts. It is the eighth time this season VU has made 11 or more threes, and the team is 7-1 in those games.
Jadyn Johnson (SO/Temecula, CA) played a productive career-high 19 minutes off the bench, posting a career-best four assists, three rebounds and no turnovers.
VU's defense held the Mustangs to 35.4 percent shooting and forced 17 turnovers. The Master's received a game-high 19 points from Ryan Beddeo.
What Happened?: The game stayed within single digits for the first nine minutes of the opening half as Dasca's three-pointer stretched Vanguard's lead to 21-12 with 11:58 on the clock.
Dasca converted two free throws a minute later as the Lions nursed a double-digit advantage for the remainder of the game.
The Lions ended up going on a 17-0 run to take an insurmountable 35-12 lead with 7:23 to go. Allen scored 10 straight points during that stretch, while VU's defense also held The Master's scoreless for nearly six minutes.
Kody Knox (JR/Porter Ranch, CA) sank a three-pointer with 2:31 left to provide Vanguard a 26-point bulge at 46-20. The Lions took a 48-25 lead into halftime.
The two teams played evenly in the second half with 45 points apiece. Wilson scored 13 of his 17 in the final 20 minutes to keep the Mustangs at bay.
The Master's cut Vanguard's lead to 83-66 on a DJ Wilson three with 2:15 remaining, but by then the game was out of reach. Mohammadi scored five straight to put the exclamation point on a key victory.
Why Is It Important?: After sustaining a "loss" as a result of forfeiting Thursday's game at Hope International due to COVID-19 protocols, Vanguard reached the halfway point of Golden State Athletic Conference play with a 6-3 record. The Lions are tied for third with Arizona Christian and remain in the hunt for the regular season title, trailing first place HIU (8-1) by two games.
What Was Said?: "It was great to be able to get our men back on the court after a pause," said Head Coach Rhett Soliday. "We were shorthanded but I think that really caused our guys to focus up, lean on each other, and trust the plan. We have a ton of respect for Master's. They are so well coached and they are a program that knows how to win. We played great tonight and were fortunate to have such great offensive balance coupled with one of our best defensive efforts of the season. We couldn't be more excited to make a push in the second round of GSAC play."
What's Next?: Before the second half of conference action begins, the Lions will play one final regular season non-conference game. VU hosts Bethesda on Tuesday, January 18 at 7:30 p.m.
