Weekend sweep leads to clinched postseason berth

VALLEJO, Calif. – Even though Cal Maritime held the lead from nearly start to finish in Sunday's Cal Pac Conference game, Park Gilbert remained within striking distance until a layup and a three-point play from Shawn Kelly extended the Keelhaulers' lead to 12 early in the second half.

Combined with a game-high 20 points from Divine Nwoko — he hit seven shots from the floor, a pair from three and 4 of 5 from the line — and an alley-oop dunk off the glass by Everett Perrot, from Braxton Adderly on a fast break late in the game nearly blew the roof off PEAC Main Gym, the visiting Buccaneers became the latest addition to Cal Maritime's six-game win streak as men's basketball ended a busy weekend slate that included three games within a four-day timespan, all against Arizona-based opposition, with a 70-59 win.

Thanks to this weekend sweep, Cal Maritime clinched a spot in the Cal Pac Men's Basketball Tournament once the final buzzer sounded on Sunday. The Keelhaulers will now battle for the best possible seed throughout the final two weeks of the season, starting with Thursday's 7:30 p.m. game at Westcliff.

Currently sitting in fourth entering this week's schedule, CSUM trails third-place UC Merced by one game in the win column, and second-place Saint Katherine — a team the Keelhaulers will meet on Saturday — by one loss.

With Sunday's victory, men's basketball swept its three home games against Embry-Riddle, Benedictine Mesa and Park Gilbert for the second season in a row.