CALIFORNIA (Dec. 19) – The California (PA) men's basketball team suffered an 89-76 loss to No. 25 East Stroudsburg at the Convocation Center on Monday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover play.
With the loss, the Vulcans drop to 4-6 overall with a 1-3 mark in conference competition. Meanwhile, the Warriors, who have registered 14-consecutive winning seasons, improve to 8-1 this season behind a 3-1 mark in PSAC action.
Sophomore
Keith Palek III (Woodbine, N.J./St. Augustine Prep) led the team with 16 points on 7-of-13 from the field. Additionally, he recorded five rebounds and a career-high three blocks. He is currently averaging 19.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting at a 49.6 percent clip.
Freshman
KJ McClurg (Morgantown, W.Va./University) set a career best with 12 rebounds and scored 14 points for his second double-double of the season. Redshirt junior
Jermaine Hall, Jr. (Baltimore, Md./Severn School) tallied 13 points, six rebounds and one assist. Redshirt freshman
Donald Whitehead, Jr. (Hermitage, Pa./Hickory) posted a season-high 12 points with three assists and two rebounds, while ophomore
Gabe Jimerson (Richmond, Va./The Miller School) collected career-highs of 12 points and six rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench.
The teams traded the initial eight points of the game until the Warriors scored five-unanswered points to claim a 9-4 lead. East Stroudsburg stretched its advantage 14-8 with 15 minutes left in the first half. The Vulcans and Warriors split the following six baskets, as East Stroudsburg led by a 21-14 margin with 11:31 remaining. The Vulcans pulled with two possessions as they trailed 24-20 after a 6-3 run, however, the Warriors seized momentum and gained a double-digit point edge following a 9-3 run. East Stroudsburg maintained its double-figure edge over the next three minutes and took a 49-36 lead into the break.
East Stroudsburg continued to pressure Cal as it conducted a 10-3 rally that featured a pair of long-range shots to start the second half. Over the next six minutes, each team went back-and-forth as the Warriors were on a slight 16-13 run and led by a 75-52 margin. The Vulcans continued to battle, however, East Stroudsburg maintained its 20-point advantage with an 11-8 run with 4:46 left to play. Cal finished the game on a 13-6 run that was completed by a pair of free-throws from McClurg.
Cal shot 43.1 percent (28-of-65) from the field while going just 4-for-25 (.160) from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Warriors recorded a .442 field-goal percentage (34-of-77) from the field and connected on 48.0 percent (12-of-25) of their three-point attempts. The Vulcans held a 44-41 rebound advantage, while East Stroudsburg dished out 22 assists.
The 2022 PSAC East Athlete of the Year Carlos Pepin scored a game-high 21 points in addition to 12 rebounds and two steals. Justin Paz tallied 15 points and two rebounds in the victory. Jaelen McGlone added 14 points, six assists and two steals, while Mike Millsip scored 10 points with six rebounds.
Cal is idle before returning to action on Dec. 30 when it travels to face Kutztown in league crossover action at 3 p.m.
