McAndrews Leads Pomona-Pitzer To Double Overtime Win Over Chapman

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Claremont, Calif. - Junior guard Kyle McAndrews had a career-high 32 points on 12-18 shooting, including key baskets at the end of regulation and both overtimes, to lead the Pomona-Pitzer Men's Basketball team to a 90-85 double-overtime win over Chapman on Wednesday evening at Voelkel Gymnasium.

With the win, Pomona-Pitzer improves to 8-5 overall on the season and 4-1 in SCIAC play. Chapman sees its record fall to 8-6 overall and 2-3 in the SCIAC.

The Sagehens trailed down the stretch of regulation by as many as six points, and were down by three with 1:00 to go, when McAndrews broke down the Chapman defense and hit a 10-foot floater in the lane to cut the lead to 64-63 with 33 seconds left. After the Panthers missed the front end of a one-and-one, McAndrews gave an up fake on the left side, took one dribble, and buried a three-pointer to give Pomona-Pitzer a 66-64 lead with 15 seconds left, its first lead since early in the second half.

Chapman did not call a timeout, though, and came right back the other way as Taylor Hamasaki hit a tough 18-foot pull-up jumper with 4.4 seconds left to even the score at 66-66 with 4.4 seconds left. The Sagehens called a timeout, but could manage only a desperation shot from midcourt as the game went to overtime.

Senior forward John Weiss scored the first five points of overtime on a three-pointer and a lay-up to put the Sagehens ahead 71-66, but Chapman answered with a 6-0 run to take the lead. The Panthers went ahead 75-74 on a three-pointer from Colin Zavrsnick with 1:33 left, and after a stop, had a chance to push the lead to three points, but Hamasaki missed the front end of a one and one. McAndrews then went the other way and hit a tough running back shot with 13 seconds left while drawing a foul, making the free throw to put the Sagehens ahead 77-75.

Once again Chapman answered, though, as the Sagehens played terrific initial defense on Hamasaki, forcing him to pick up his dribble and settle for a fadeaway from the left wing. The ball hit off the rim, but point guard Garrett James snuck in weak side for a put-back at the buzzer to force another overtime.

The Sagehens led the whole way in the second extra session, as senior forward Jake Klewer had a putback, senior guard Xavyr Moss hit a tough scooped layup, and McAndrews drove down the right side of the lane for a layup to make it 83-77 with 2:21 left. Hamasaki answered with a three-pointer to halve the deficit, but McAndrews stopped on a dime for a 15-foot pull-up jumper to make the score 85-80 with 1:34 left.

Chapman answered on a post-up from Nick Dragovich with 1:17 left, but Klewer got a huge offensive rebound and made one of two at the line to keep it a two-possession game at 86-82 with 46 seconds left. McAndrews added two foul shots to make it 88-82, and the Sagehens were able to keep their margin the rest of the way.

Klewer battled foul trouble but finished with a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Weiss added 14 points, nine rebounds, six assists and four steals in a strong all-around effort and sophomore forward Gibson Farone-Collins added a career-high 11 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Zavrsnick had 23 points for Chapman, while James had 13 points, 10 assists and no turnovers.

Pomona-Pitzer will be back in action on Saturday when it travels to Whittier for a 5 p.m. contest.