Josh Omojafo vs. Edinboro
Matt Durisko
98
California (PA) CUP 18-3,12-3 PSAC
107
Winner Gannon Gannon 19-2,13-2 PSAC
California (PA) CUP
18-3,12-3 PSAC
98
Final
107
Gannon Gannon
19-2,13-2 PSAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
California (PA) CUP 50 48 98
Gannon Gannon 60 47 107

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

No. 9/7 Gannon Clinches PSAC Tournament Berth with 107-98 Win over No. 14/10 California (Pa.)

Golden Knights improve to 19-2 with eighth straight win

ERIE, Pa. – A year ago at this time the Gannon men's basketball team was 2-17. On Saturday afternoon the 2023-24 Golden Knights edition walked off the floor before a large crowd at Hagerty Family Events Center with a 107-98 win over California (Pa.) to improve to 19-2. The victory clinched a berth in the PSAC Tournament for the Golden Knights and was their eighth straight.

The contest was the second meeting of the season between the two Western Division teams, with first place in the division on the line before two nationally-ranked teams. Gannon came in ranked ninth in the latest NABC Division II Top 25 and seventh in the D2CSC Media Poll, while Cal (Pa.) was 14th and 10th, respectively. First-year coach Jordan Fee's team posted its first win over a ranked team since Gannon swept back-to-back games over Daemen in 2020-21, the COVID-19 year.    

An athletic California (Pa.) team coasted to a 99-84 win over the Golden Knights in the first meeting on January 6 on its homecourt. This time around the Vulcans saw Gannon remain undefeated in home games at 10-0 despite some anxious moments down the stretch.

A high-scoring first half saw Gannon jump out to a 60-50 lead while shooting 58.3 percent from the floor (21-of-36) and making 7-of-13 3-pointers.

The Golden Knights extended their lead to 18 points at 79-61 but over 13 minutes still remained. Moments later Gannon was up 80-63. Six minutes later they would find themselves trailing 85-84 with 6:28 left to play as Cal ran off 14 straight points at one stage.

The Vulcans went ahead by three points at 87-84 before Gannon started its own comeback. The Golden Knights went on a 12-1 run to seize control of the game. Derrick James (Columbus, Ohio/Canal Winchester) gave Gannon the lead back for good at 89-87 with a 3-pointer with 4:41 remaining. The sophomore guard had not made a 3-pointer in six games, missing on his previous 13 attempts, before draining the trifecta from the top of the key.

Cal made one-of-two free throws to close within a point, but Nathan Schneider (Kersey, Pa./St. Marys Area) answered with a twisting layup. The Vulcans turned the ball over on the inbounds pass and Lyle Tipton's (Glenside, Pa./Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy) putback on an offensive rebound made it 93-88. It was the second straight game Tipton pulled down a big offensive rebound at a key juncture of the game.

Tipton blocked a shot on the other end and it turned into a Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf) layup and free throw to make it 96-88. Gannon eventually built the lead to as many as 13 points in the final minute as the Golden Knights made 6-of-6 free throws down the stretch.

Gannon came in as the scoring team in Division II at 105 ppg. and topped 100 points for the 12th time this season under Fee's fast-paced style. Despite cooling off in the second half the Golden Knights shot 48.6 percent from the floor (35-of-72), making 9-of-27 3-pointers. Cal came in leading the PSAC in field goal percentage at over 52 percent and shot 70 percent from the field in the first meeting. This time around the Vulcans came in at 49.3 percent (34-of-69), making 7-of-25 3-pointers.

The physical affair saw a total of 53 fouls called, sending both teams to the line frequently. Gannon went 28-of-32 from the charity stripe while Cal was 23-of-28. Gannon held a 40-36 rebounding advantage, pulling down 16 offensive boards. While the Golden Knights only forced 14 turnovers, they were guilty of only nine themselves.

The game featured two of the top scorers in the PSAC with Cal's KJ McClurg first and Omojafo third. Neither disappointed. McClurg ended with 28 points while Omojafo led five Golden Knights in double figures with 27 points. It was his 11th game and second straight with 20-or-more points. The 6-foot-5 sophomore from Hamilton, Ontario made 7-of-14 field goals and was 13-of-14 at the line. He also contributed five rebounds and three assists.

James matched his season high with 20 points, going a perfect 11-for-11 at the charity stripe. He added four assists and a pair of steals. Tipton finished with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Ernest Shelton (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) came off the bench to knock down three 3-pointers for 11 points in 12 minutes. Zachary Hobbs (Gilbert, Ariz./Mesa) chipped in with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

The "second wave" also featured strong outings from Schneider and Thomas Whitley (Laurel, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt). Schneider had eight points, as did Whitley, who just recently earned his way into the rotation.

Gannon looks for its first 20-win season since the 2017-18 season on Wednesday, February 7 when it wraps up a three-game homestand with the second meeting of the season against Edinboro. Gannon prevailed in the first meeting 117-96. Tipoff at Hagerty Family Events Center is 7:30 p.m.      
       
 
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