TURLOCK – The myriad of misses on the offensive end hurt, but it was a missed box out on the defensive end the proved to be the dagger in the Chico State men’s basketball team’s gut wrenching 79-77 overtime loss at Cal State Stanislaus Wednesday night at Fitzpatrick Arena. The Warriors’ Brett Sayad tipped in a missed shot with two seconds remaining in overtime and Jay Flores’ desperation shot at the buzzer resulted in nothing more than the Wildcats’ 30th missed 3-pointer of the night.
Chico State was just 7-of-37 from 3-point range and 20-of-30 from the free throw line (1-for-4 in overtime) while falling to 5-2 overall and 1-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with its second straight loss.
The game was not without its bright spots for the Wildcats, however. Amir Carraway contributed career highs with 21 points and 12 rebounds, while Sam Hicks and Jordan Semple scored 13 points apiece off the bench. Hicks blocked a pair of shots and Semple chipped in 10 boards.
Semple’s old fashioned three-point play off an offensive rebound gave the Wildcats a 66-65 lead with 22 second remaining in regulation, but the Warriors’ Reggie Jones went to the line after being fouled off the ball and made both to put the hosts back up by one with 13 seconds left.
Damario Sims attacked the basket and drew a foul of his own with seven seconds left. He missed the first but made the second to force overtime.
Sims’ 3-pointer with 3:30 left in overtime, one of just four of 17 shots the junior made, put the Wildcats ahead 70-67. The Wildcats could not make the advantage grow, however, and the lead would change hands five times over the next two minutes.
Carraway’s offensive rebound and put back tied the game at 77-apiece with 22 seconds left, but 22 seconds later, the Warriors were celebrating the end of a three-game losing streak against Chico State.
Chico State’s Josh Jackson did a great job defending the Warriors’ Vince Fuller, who asked his team to clear out so he could go one-on-one. But Fuller was forced to settle for a double-pump leaner that didn’t even draw iron. The Wildcats wish it had. Sayad grabbed the errant shot it as it caromed off the glass and then guided it home for the win.
Ironically, the Wildcats surrendered just three offensive rebounds before Sayad’s game winner.
Cal State Stanislaus, led by Reggie Jones’ 25 points, improved to 5-1 and 2-1 in the CCAA. It’s the Warriors first 5-1 start since they joined the CCAA in the same season as Chico State, 1998-99.
Sims finished with 13 points for the Wildcats and became just the 11th Wildcat to reach the century mark in made 3-pointers when he found the bottom of the net with eight minutes left in the first half.
Chico State is back in action Saturday when it travels to Redding to face Simpson University at 8 p.m.
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