POMONA, Calif. - In an entertaining affair that featured 19 lead changes and 17 ties, the Cal Poly Pomona men's basketball team was ultimately edged by Cal State San Bernardino, 72-70, in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) opener for both teams inside Kellogg Arena on Thursday night.
The result dampened what was another remarkable performance by William Christmas. Coming off a game in which he went for 24 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, the fourth-year senior narrowly missed a triple-double again, filling up the box score to the tune of 22 points, 13 boards, eight assists, six steals and two blocked shots. He led all players in all five categories, notching his sixth career double-double. The rebound, assist (tied) and steal totals were his collegiate bests.
The game served as Cal Poly Pomona's home opener following a three-game road trip to Washington state. The Broncos, receiving votes just outside of the top 25 in both national polls this week, fell to an even 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the CCAA. The Coyotes improved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in league play.
The contest also marked the beginning of CPP head coach Greg Kamansky's milestone 20th CCAA campaign.
Junior Phoenix Shackelford came around a screen and buried a jumper from the top of the paint to draw even at 63-63 with 48 seconds left in regulation, with each side then coming up empty on an offensive possession to bring on the extra period.
Senior Nikhil Peters' only made basket of the night was a three-pointer to give the Broncos back a 66-65 edge with 3:06 left in overtime. A Shackelford step-back triple then made it 69-67 with just over two minutes to go. Christmas split a pair from the stripe before the Coyotes produced what proved to be the final five points of the contest through a pair of Jeremy Smith buckets and a Jordan Mitchell free throw. Shackelford's three from just across the circle rolled off the rim as time expired.
Earlier in the first half, Cal Poly Pomona turned an 11-9 deficit into an 18-13 lead, and held onto a 28-25 advantage heading into the locker room.
CPP came out of the break and notched the first two baskets, the latter an alley-oop dunk with Justin Young on the end of a Christmas pass, to open up its largest lead of the game of seven at 32-25.
A Riley Schaefer three-pointer, assisted by Christmas, preceded a Christmas steal and layup to turn a 46-45 deficit into a 50-46 lead. Moments later, a deep Christmas triple made it 53-48. The Oceanside product continued to do it all, as he assisted on Tavian Henderson's basket for a 57-57 tie, and also followed that up with a steal, drive to the hoop and lay-in while getting fouled ahead of the final media timeout.
Suddenly trailing again at 62-59 at the 1:40 mark, for a third time in the game, Christmas produced a solo steal and bucket to close back to within one at 62-61. Shackelford sent the game into overtime. Cal State San Bernardino simply would not go away all night, however, and managed to come away with the win.
Shackelford (11) and Schaefer (10) joined Christmas in double-figure scoring for the Broncos. Smith paced the Coyotes with his 19 points, while Richard Laku and CJ Clark contributed 16 and 12, respectively, both off the bench.
The teams shot pretty evenly from the floor, with CPP at 41.3 percent (26-63) and CSUSB connecting on 39.4 percent (26-66).
Cal Poly Pomona had won five-consecutive home meetings with Cal State San Bernardino, since a 62-53 defeat on Nov. 26, 2013, which was also the last time the Broncos opened the CCAA slate against the Coyotes.
Cal Poly Pomona next faces its first CCAA road trip, heading north to take on Cal State Monterey Bay in Seaside on Saturday afternoon. Tip-off inside The Kelp Bed is slated for 3 p.m., with the matchup available to be viewed on the CCAA Network.
Bronco Bits: Cal Poly Pomona began with the same starting lineup for the fourth game in a row to open the season, of William Christmas, Nikhil Peters, Riley Schaefer, Phoenix Shackelford and Justin Young … The Broncos are 9-10 in their last 19 CCAA openers under Greg Kamansky, with results from his initial 2000-01 season unavailable at press time … They had won their last two CCAA openers, and last 11 home openers … CPP and Cal State San Bernardino have split their two meetings in each of the past two years, both winning twice on the home court.
