OAKLAND, Calif. Head-Royce shut out the Sonics in the second half and closed on a 7-0 run for a 34-33 win in its season opener Sunday. Micah's 3-pointer tied the game at 33, and Lil Micah's free throw on the final scoring play put the Jayhawks (1-0) ahead to stay.
The Sonics scored first on a basket off a turnover and controlled most of the first half. Marcus answered with a basket for a 2-2 tie, but the Sonics moved ahead 8-3 and later stretched the margin to 17-8, their largest lead of the game at nine points. Micah's 3-pointer cut the deficit to 17-11, and the Sonics answered with a 3-pointer of their own to go up 20-11.
Head-Royce responded with an 11-0 run. Bryce assisted on a 3-pointer and a basket on consecutive scores, Micah converted a second-chance basket, and Marcus made two free throws to tie the game at 20. Marcel followed with a basket that gave the Jayhawks a 22-20 lead, their first of the game. The Sonics came right back with an 8-0 run, including a basket off a turnover, to lead 28-22. A Head-Royce basket and a Marcel 3-pointer pulled the Jayhawks within 28-27, but the Sonics scored the next five points, the last on a 3-pointer off a turnover, to go up 33-27. Two Head-Royce free throws made it 33-29 at halftime.
The Sonics did not score again. Marcel opened the second-half scoring with a free throw to make it 33-30. Micah then hit his second 3-pointer of the day to tie the game at 33, the fourth tie of the afternoon. Lil Micah made a free throw to put Head-Royce in front 34-33, and the Jayhawks' defense held from there.
Micah, a junior, and Marcel, a senior, shared the team scoring lead with nine points each. Micah made 3 of 5 shots from the field, went 2 for 3 from 3-point range and added four rebounds (two offensive) and the team's only steal. Marcel shot 3 for 7, made both of his free throws and blocked a shot. Marcus, a senior, added four points and two rebounds. Bryce, a junior, grabbed three rebounds and had a team-high two assists. Lil Micah's winning free throw accounted for the only bench points.
The Sonics shot 54.2 percent (13 of 24) to Head-Royce's 47.8 percent (11 of 23), and they turned seven Jayhawk turnovers into nine points while giving the ball away just twice. Head-Royce made up the difference with its shooting from the perimeter and the line, going 4 for 6 from 3-point range and 8 for 9 on free throws, while the Sonics went 3 for 8 and 4 for 4. The Jayhawks also won the boards 12-8, with a 5-0 edge on the offensive glass and a 4-0 advantage in second-chance points.
Head-Royce (1-0) returns home to host Bentley JV on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024.