Late turnovers keep Keelhaulers from completing comeback

Men's Basketball erased a 10-point deficit in the second half to take a four-point lead late in the game, but couldn't hang on and fell by four points against Menlo 64-60.

Cal Maritime (4-3) found themselves down 10 in Atherton, Calif. when Justin Eisen hit a three pointer to cut it to seven. Then the Keelhaulers started to get stops by making shots difficult for the Oaks and staying in front of their man.

While getting stops on the defensive end, Eisen would hit two more three pointers make it a two-pt game. Big Ben Borja would grab an offensive board after a missed shot and feed Zavier Lucero for dunk to tie it up.

With momentum on their side Senior Donovin Townsend rattled and banked a three home and the Keelhaulers took the lead for the first time in the second half. Shortly after Townsend drew a charge, which was followed by a lay up from Lucero after an array of post moves.

Junior Josh Hauser would hit a three from NBA range after Eisen missed from deep, but Darnell Harris got the offensive board. Menlo would tie it on a tough turn around shot at 48-48 with 10 minutes left. But Kyle Osterstock would hit a three to answer and reclaim the lead for the Keelhaulers.

Later with just one second on the shot clock, Townsend would hit another three to make it 54-50 with a little under seven minutes left to play. Menlo then cut it to one with a three pointer of their own, but Townsend fed Borja who hit a perfect turnaround shot off the glass to extend it to three-point lead.

Menlo would again tie it with a three pointer of their own, and Cal Maritime head coach Brendan Rooney called a time out. But the Keelhaulers would immediately turn it over out of time out, as Eisen let a pass slip through his hands.

The Oak's Jared Wall hit a spinning lay in to take the lead back for good for Menlo, as a Lucero feed for Harris got stolen and then Lucero lost his man defensively leading to bucket for Menlo. But with 2:05 left Lucero hit a beautiful reverse lay up cut it back to two.

However an inbound from Eisen to Lucero intercepted, as another turnover kept the Keelhaulers offense from having a chance to tie. While down four and just 29 seconds left, Eisen shot a deep three that came up just short and the senior didn't get a foul call as he hit the deck. The Oaks would eventually run out the clock to seal the 64-60 win.

Eisen led the Keelhaulers with 18 points going 6 of 13 from downtown. Lucero notched another double-double on the season scoring 10 points and hauling in 14 rebounds. Hauser and Borja each finished with nine points, but the Keelhaulers lost the turnover battle 22-8 which would prove to be their undoing.

UP NEXT: The Keelhaulers will head north to take on Evergreen State College & Northwest University on Nov. 16 and 17 respectively.