Box Score
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Kehinde Roberts led three players in double figures with 14 points as host West Chester topped favored Cal, 61-60, in a non-league PSAC crossover men’s basketball contest inside Hollinger Field House on Saturday afternoon.
Kenny Johnson’s game-winning 3-point attempt at the buzzer was off the mark for Cal (4-4), who trailed West Chester (8-2) by nine with 1:12 left in the game before a valiant comeback bid, fueled by Johnson’s three 3-pointers and a conventional 3-point play, fell just short. Johnson posted 12 of his game-high 25 points in the final 66 seconds.
West Chester moved its winning streak to three straight with the win over a very talented California squad. The Rams were without the services of junior Kenneth St. George, who was injured in practice over the 14-day break for the holidays. It also marked the second straight year in which West Chester upset Cal on its own home court. The Rams scored a 64-59 victory over the Vulcans inside Hollinger Field House last season.
“I was disappointed in the way we finished off with the free throws down the stretch,” first-year head coach Damien Blair said. “But, we haven’t been in too many games that have come down to the wire like that where free throws made the difference. We have to do better finishing out games.”
Indeed, West Chester hit on just 6 of its 10 attempts in the final 72 seconds. But, Kehinde Roberts nailed both of his attempts with 10 seconds remaining to put the Golden Rams up by four (61-57).
That is when Johnson buried his third trey in the final minute with six seconds left, and Cal then forced a turnover on West Chester’s final possession. Johnson’s running 3-point attempt from 30 feet hit the front of the rim as the buzzer sounded.
West Chester trailed 25-16 at the half after hitting just 22 percent of its shots in the first 20 minutes. However, the Rams fought through the poor shooting performance with a high-energy defense that helped get the hosts back into the game in the second half when the Vulcans’ lead climbed to 15 (33-18) with 15:38 remaining.
The Golden Rams forced four turnovers in the next 3:29 and cut the deficit to five on a layup by Sam Scott at the midway point of the second half.
“Our strength has always been our defense,” Blair added. “If we keep playing defense and keep rebounding, the shots will fall sooner or later. Kehinde’s shots weren’t falling early on. But, his defense changed the whole flow of the game in the second half.”
Samba Fall scored 11 points for Cal before fouling out with 3:33 left to go.
Ralph Hegamin registered his second straight double-double and fifth of the season with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Scott finished with 11 points and five boards. Roberts collected seven caroms in addition to his 14 points.
West Chester will be back in action Sunday afternoon with a 3 p.m. tilt against Indiana (Pa.) at Hollinger Field House.
