ORANGE, Calif. - Jefferson hit buzzer-beater to spoil the finale of the Disney Tip-Off Classic for the Point Loma men's basketball team, 67-64.
 
Alexander Gorton had 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Rams. Noah Stapes paced PLNU with 16 points and also added five rebounds.
 
PLNU went up as many as 10 points in the first half, but a 28-8 run by the Rams erased the lead and put the Sea Lions in a double-digit deficit midway through the second half. Point Loma would battle back to tie the game on a put back by Ziggy Satterthwaite with 10 seconds remaining, but Jefferson had one more answer. Kylan Guerra found Kaison Randolph on the wing and he rose up to sink a 3-pointer as time expired to hand Point Loma its first loss of the season.
 
Team Records
Point Loma (1-1), Jefferson (2-0)
 
The Turning Point
The 28-8 run which extended from 2:27 in the first half to 14:15 in the second half not only was the point at which PLNU lost the lead, it was also the point at which Jefferson started playing with confidence. The Rams began playing better on both sides of the court and it took the Sea Lions too long to adjust.
 
Words from Coach Looney
Coach Looney was not available for comment at the time of this release
 
News and Notes
> Point Loma won the rebounding (41-35) and turnover battles (13-11)
> Preston Beverly posted a game-high 11 rebounds
> The Rams outscored the Sea Lions from the free throw line by nine (15-6)
> PLNU outscored Jefferson 22-6 on second chance points
> Half of Point Loma's field goal attempts came from 3-point range (34 of 68)
> Josh Rodriguez and Ziggy Satterthwaite each reached double-figures for the Sea Lions with 10 points apiece
 
Up Next
The Point Loma men's basketball team will play in the PacWest/GNAC Conference Challenge next week in Monmouth, Ore. The Sea Lions will open with Western Oregon on Friday (Nov. 10) before facing Saint Martin's on Saturday (Nov. 11).