Jay Flores' desire to win runs deeper than most. That's obvious on almost any night the Chico State men's basketball team takes the floor. But Saturday he showed that his range runs deep as well, breaking the backs of the visiting Lumberjacks with a 26-foot 3-pointer with 40 seconds left that propelled the Wildcats to a 67-61 win against Humboldt State.
The Wildcats led by one with the shot clock winding down. Flores dribbled toward an Amir Carraway screen at the top of the arc, identified that the defenders were not hedging out, stepped back, and let the shot fly from straight on. It fell softly through the bottom of the net as the 1,622 in attendance rose as one with a deafening roar. Then alone on the other half of the court, Flores raised his hands triumphantly - a scene that seemed to freeze in time.
Later, as he ran into the locker room, Flores bellowed “break out the brooms!” in recognition of the Wildcats' first season sweep of Humboldt State since
the 1997-98 season, the teams' last together in the Northern California Athletic Conference.
Flores finished with 12 points on 4-of-7 3-point shooting, Carraway led the way with 16 points and seven boards, and Sean Park scored 14 points as the Wildcats improved to 15-5 overall and 9-5 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA).
Austin Bryan led four Lumberjacks in double figures with 15 points. But Chico State held Humboldt State (13-5, 9-5 CCAA) 15 points below its season scoring average. Randy Hunter had 13 points, Kyle Baxter 12, and Scott Clark 10.
Both teams are now part of a four-way tie for third in the CCAA, a game behind conference co-leaders Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Wildcats will host Cal Poly Pomona Friday night at 7:30.
Chico State led by as many as nine in the second half, but a 9-1 Humboldt State run gave the Lumberjacks the first of five different leads over the final 10 minutes. But the Wildcats had an answer each and every time.
• Humboldt State took a 49-48 lead with 9:50 left before Park p
ut the Wildcats back in the lead with a pull-up jumper in the lane 26 seconds later.
• The Lumberjacks grabbed a 51-50 lead on their next possession, but Spencer Moyer stuck a 3-pointer with 8:57 left to put the Wildcats back in front.
• Kyle Baxter made two free throws with 6:03 left, but Jason Conrad canned two of his own at the 5:35 mark to make it 56-55.
• Randy Hunter hit a jump shot to make it 57-56 with 5:21 left, but Park's 3-pointer pushed the Wildcats back ahead 28 seconds later.
• Hunter's hellacious follow dunk delivered the Lumberjacks their last lead with 2:26 to play before Conrad corralled an offensive rebound and found Flores for a top of the arc three 33 seconds later.
Baxter had a chance to tie the game at the line moments later, but made just one of two, and when Carraway cleared a rebound, the stage was set for Flores' phenomenal shot.
Carraway was fouled after corralling another big rebound and made both free throws with 21 seconds left to seal the deal.
GAME NOTES – The Wildcats have now held the opposition to below their season scoring average through regulation in each game this season…The Wildcats improved to 15-1 when scoring 60-plus points this season…They improved to 39-14 in the Greg Clink era when holding the opposition to less than 45-percent shooting and 47-21 when shooting more free throws than their opponents…Conrad made all six of his free throw attempts and is now shooting 90 percent from the line on the season (36-of-40)….Flores has made 17 of his last 32 3-point attempts…The Wildcats are now 11-0 on the season when making at least 30 percent of their 3-point attempts…Flores grabbed a steal 15 seconds into the second half – the 111th of his career – to move past Chico State athletics department employee Antone Curtis into third on the school's career list.
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