Head-Royce outrebounded Northgate JV 46-34 and came back from two eight-point deficits for a 50-47 road win on Thursday, Dec. 29, improving the Jayhawks to 7-4. Sophomore Micah Riebel scored a game-high 21 points, and Head-Royce outscored the hosts 15-9 in second-chance points.
Mikael Akpala scored the first basket of the game on a putback, and the teams were tied 6-6 before Northgate JV scored eight straight points, including two second-chance baskets, to lead 14-6 after the first quarter. Head-Royce answered with a 12-0 run. Akpala started it with a basket, Riebel hit a second-chance 3-pointer and scored off a turnover, Kento Tsuji made a 3-pointer on an assist from Jonah Greenberg, and Greenberg finished the run with a layup off a turnover to make it 18-14. Dillon Hong's 3-pointer built the Jayhawks' largest lead, 21-16, and two Riebel free throws made it 24-20.
Northgate JV then scored eight unanswered points in a run that carried over the break. The hosts led 25-24 at halftime and went ahead 34-26 early in the third quarter. Head-Royce responded with an 11-0 run. Riebel hit consecutive second-chance 3-pointers, and Tsuji's 3-pointer on a Riebel assist gave the Jayhawks a 35-34 lead. Riebel added a second-chance basket to make it 37-34.
The rest of the third quarter went back and forth. Northgate JV made two straight 3-pointers to lead 40-37, and the teams traded baskets from there. Riebel scored twice to keep Head-Royce within a point, Akpala's basket off a turnover put the Jayhawks ahead 45-44, and Northgate JV answered with a 3-pointer. Greenberg tied the game at 47, and Henry Tatara hit a 3-pointer on an assist from Akpala to make it 50-47. Neither team scored in the fourth quarter, and Head-Royce held on for the win.
Riebel shot 8 of 22 from the field, including 3 of 8 from 3-point range, and added seven rebounds and two steals. He scored 14 of his points in the third quarter. Greenberg recorded a double-double with nine points and 12 rebounds to go with three assists, two steals and two blocks. Tsuji made both of his 3-pointers during Head-Royce's two big runs and pulled down nine rebounds. Akpala finished with eight points, three assists and two steals, and Tatara, a freshman, had three points and six rebounds.
Neither team shot well. Head-Royce made 20 of 59 shots (33.9 percent) and 7 of 28 from 3-point range. The Jayhawks' defense held Northgate JV to 18 of 72 shooting (25 percent) and 5 of 24 from beyond the arc, and the hosts went 6 of 14 at the free throw line. Head-Royce committed 16 turnovers, which Northgate JV turned into 12 points, but the Jayhawks made up for it by grabbing 10 offensive rebounds.
The win ended a stretch without a victory for the Jayhawks, who are now 7-4 in the 2022-23 season.