Keelhaulers edged by D-III UCSC in OT

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – Take notice, Cal Pac Conference because this is a Cal Maritime team reaching its potential one game at a time.

In Saturday's non-conference match at KP Arena in Santa Cruz, Jaz Novelli for ed overtime by nailing a jumper, with 40 seconds remaining, to force an extra five minutes of action against Division III foe UC Santa Cruz.

That basket capped a comeback by CSUM that saw it trail the Banana Slugs by four with 90 seconds remaining in regulation. 

After Jameelah Pharms connected on the front half of two free throws, Novelli collected the rebound from the second attempt and drained a three to complete the four-point possession and even the score at 74.

Following a UCSC bucket on the ensuing possession, Novelli struck again by scoring the clutch game-tying basket that forced OT for the first time in this head-to-head series.

Once the extra session started, each team remained within a possession of one another, regardless who held the lead, until Alyssa Jackson's three gave Santa Cruz a five point lead with 1:48 left to play. From that point on, Cal Maritime was unable to trip that deficit to less than three as the host Banana Slugs truly escaped their season opener with an 87-83 victory. 

Cal Maritime will enter Wednesday's 7 p.m. exhibition against California Tribal College with a 1-2 record with confidence knowing that road result was the closest final score against UC Santa Cruz, on its home floor, in program history.

Fifteen tied scored and 18 lead changes took place throughout this matchup.

The Keelhaulers can also take solace in the plus-21 free throw attempt margin that favored the Banana Slugs played a key role in the eventual result — one that saw four CSUM players finish in double figures.

"This was a great team effort today, even though we came up short," said head coach Imhotet Amen-Ra. "We placed ourselves in good position in overtime, created numerous solid opportunities, but unfortunately came up short."

"That is a well-coached UC Santa Cruz team that played a hard-fought game."

Novelli led all Keelhaulers with 19 points, hit three of her seven baskets from distance and finished with a team-high five rebounds, matching Kai Kraus' total.
Tiare Novero-Paaga was the definition off efficient from three as she shot 4 of 6 from behind the arc, 5 of 8 overall and hot both free throws attempted to end her day with 16 points.

Aysia Santos posted 12 points and Pharms chipped in another 10 for Cal Maritime.

Led by Novelli, Pharms and Dylan Fulton's seven points, CSUM's bench outscored its counterpart from Santa Cruz, 40-2.

Added Amen-Ra, "I am so proud of our team, they fought to come up with solutions to every challenged faced, did not splinter and gave a full effort the entire game."