Men's Basketball wins defensive battle at PUC

Keelhaulers (11-8, 3-2) create separation in the final 10 minutes in a 67-58 road victory against the Pioneers.

The defensive was especially high early on as the score was just 4-4 seven minutes into the game before the back-and-forth of the first half would develop in earnest.

Senior Josh Hauser made his defensive presence felt as he drew two charges in those first seven minutes of the game. PUC (6-8, 2-3) hit a baseline, shot-clock beater and then a three pointer that made it 9-4 PUC with 11:40 to go first half, before junior Evan Madill hit a three to break the Keelhauler's scoring drought with just under 11 minutes remaining in the half.

Junior center Ben Borja helped get the offense going for Cal Maritime with some buckets inside and the teams were all tied up at 27-27 at the half. PUC was able to stifle Cal Maritime's outside shooting as the Keelhaulers only shot 28% from field in first 20 minutes.

The Pioneers would get momentum on their side to start the second half as they jumped out to a 37-29 lead with 15:23 left to play. That eight-point lead would be PUC's largest of the night, as the Keelhaulers got good looks but couldn't get the shots to fall.

A slick pass from Hauser after junior Zavier Lucero blocked a shot set up Borja inside who got the basket and the foul to make it 37-33 Pioneers with 14 min left. Borja missed the free throw but Lucero grabbed the rebound for another possession, and Hauser drove to the basket for a lay up to cut it to two shortly before drawing his third charge of the game on a PUC player.

The Keelhaulers truly reclaimed momentum when an emphatic two-handed dunk from Lucero tied it at 37 apiece with just under 13 minutes left to play. The Keelhaulers extended their lead to 52-47 after more great work from Keelhaulers defense in the paint that set up a pair of threes for Madill.

The Keelhaulers began to force more turnovers by the Pioneers and extended their lead to 56-47 with just under seven minutes left in the game. Just a minute later Madill hit another three that pushed it to a twelve-point lead for Cal Maritime at 59-47 for the Keelhaulers first double-digit lead.

The Pioneers would not go down without a fight on their home floor, but the Keelhaulers size inside made it difficult for the dribble-drive based pioneers to ever get the deficit below eight points against Maritime.

Lucero blocked seven shots on the night to go along with 16 points and five rebounds, and Borja had five blocks with 10 points and eight rebounds. Hauser had 12 points on the night and led the team with seven assists with Madill chipping in 12 points and junior Darnell Harris adding eight rebounds.

UP NEXT: The Keelhaulers return home to host Benedictine Mesa on January 17 at 7:30 p.m.