CLAREMONT, Calif. — Despite a game-high-tying 20 points from
Ty Bergman, Pomona-Pitzer men's basketball fell 73-71 to Trinity University at home on the opening day of the David Wells Classic.
Season Impact: The loss drops the Sagehens to 3-2 on the season, including 2-1 at Voelkel Gymnasium.
Bergman reached his season-high scoring mark of 20 points by shooting 7-of-11 from the floor, including 2-of-2 from three-point range. He also pulled down eight rebounds to go with two blocks and a pair of assists.
Joe Cookson contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds for his third double-double of the season while
Pete Boyle,
Sam Lind and
Samir O'Brien each scored eight points.
Teams battled back and forth early, as Bergman knocked down a triple and
Owen Avdalovic got a layup to fall to give Pomona-Pitzer a 13-12 advantage. O'Brien and Lind later traded three-pointers as the Sagehens took a 21-19 lead midway through the first half.
The Tigers later used a 12-2 run to go up 42-32, but
Ty Bergman scored the last four points of the half as Pomona-Pitzer trailed 42-36 at the break. The Sagehens knocked down six three's in the first half on 12 attempts but shot just 41.9% from the floor to the Tigers' 57.7% first half clip.
Trinity got out to a quick start in the second half, leading 53-42 before O'Brien hit a three and a lay-in to cut the Sagehens' deficit to six, 53-47. Avdalovic scored in the paint before Bergman scored back-to-back baskets to then bring Pomona-Pitzer within three, 56-53.
The Tigers extended their lead back to 10, 63-53, but a Cookson jumper followed by a
Peyton Mullarkey trey made it 63-58. Mullarkey added another three late and Lind hit another to then make it a three-point ballgame, 71-68, with 2:29 to go.
Both teams struggled to score in the closing minutes, with the Tigers' Dean Balo hitting a jumper to make it 73-68 with 22 seconds left. Cookson then nailed a three, cutting Pomona-Pitzer's deficit, 73-71, with seven seconds to go.
Trinity missed its ensuing free throw attempt in a one-and-one situation, as the Sagehens called timeout with six seconds remaining. With one final chance to tie or win the game, Boyle's three-point attempt was blocked just before the buzzer, as the Tigers held on for the 73-71 win.
Up Next: The Sagehens close out the David Wells Classic with a matchup against Southwestern University tomorrow, Nov. 30, at 3:00 p.m. in Roberts Pavilion on the campus of CMS.
