SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — California Lutheran's sophomore guard Palmer Chaplin nailed a game-winning three-pointer with 1.9 seconds left and the Kingsmen defeated the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs 74-73 Wednesday night in Kaiser Permanente Arena.
This was the CLU's eighth game that was decided by six points or less. It was the first game-winner of the year for the Kingsmen.
Chaplin scored nine points on the night as he shot 50-percent from the field. He only made one three all night, as he went 1-for-3, with that made three being a game-winner. He filled the stat sheet with seven rebounds, three assists and one steal.
Kyle Ferreira led the squad with 19 points and KJ Moffett added 16 more. Ferreira led the team on the boards and had eight rebounds. He also tallied four assists. Moffett was right behind Ferreira with seven rebounds.
Jerry Lawson came off the bench to score nine points. He also pulled down four rebounds. The Cole brothers, Austin Cole and Connor Cole, each chipped in with eight points apiece.
The Kingsmen jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead. They continued to roll and went on an 18-0 run and were up as much as 25-2. The Banana Slugs fought back a little bit and only trailed 40-27 at the half.
UC Santa Cruz fought all the way back, and with 14:56 left in the game, the score was tied at 40. The Banana Slugs had their biggest lead of four points, twice, over the next few minutes. Every move they made, the Kinsgmen answered. From the 15-minute mark to the 5-minute mark, no team led by more than five points.
With 1:51 left in the game, UCSC took a 70-68 lead. A few possessions later, Moffett drilled a three-pointer and CLU was up 71-70 with 36 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, Santa Cruz took back the lead after a made three, 73-71.
It came down to one final possession for the Kingsmen. After a few blocks by the Banana Slugs at the rim, it came down to a mad scramble for the ball. Michael Wadsworth came away with the ball and found a wide open Chaplin for the game winner. After a last-second heave from half court by UCSC, the Kingsmen prevailed 74-73.
Cal Lutheran returns home for the next game and hosts Pomona-Pitzer Saturday at 2 p.m. inside Gilbert Arena.
Box Score: CLU 74, UCSC 73
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director
