OAKLAND, Calif. The Head-Royce boys junior varsity team lost for the first time this season Thursday, falling 54-31 to the Head-Royce varsity at home. The Jayhawks (2-1) stayed within two points early, but a 14-0 run by the varsity broke the game open, and 14 Head-Royce turnovers kept it out of reach.
The varsity scored its first two baskets off turnovers, with Osagie Enabulele and Bryce Clepper each finishing assists from Micah Riebel for a 4-0 lead. The Jayhawks answered right away. Sam Gulaid scored on a feed from Lamarr, and Owen tied the game at 4-4 on an assist from Jack Peay. It was the only tie of the night. The varsity took two more turnovers the other way for an 8-4 lead, and Lamarr made both of his free throws to pull Head-Royce within 8-6.
That was as close as it got. Clepper hit a 3-pointer to start the 14-0 run, Micah Nyamuzuwe added a 3 off a turnover, and Johnny Williams made back-to-back 3-pointers before scoring inside to make it 22-6. Gulaid ended the drought with a basket, and Lawrence hit a 3-pointer off a Lamarr assist to cut the deficit to 22-11. The teams traded baskets from there, with two scores by Lamarr and one each by Gulaid and Peay keeping Head-Royce within 33-19.
The varsity then scored eight straight points on a second-chance basket by Mikael Akpala and 3-pointers by Nyamuzuwe and Sanil for a 41-19 lead. Ezra Goldfarb answered with a 3 on a pass from Gulaid, and Lamarr later scored two straight baskets, the second off a turnover, to make it 47-26. A 6-0 varsity run pushed the lead to 53-26, its largest of the game at 27 points. Goldfarb and Owen scored the last five Head-Royce points, with Owen's 3-pointer making it 53-31 before a Marcus Lefkovits free throw set the final.
Lamarr led the Jayhawks off the bench with 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting, made both of his free throws and added two assists. Gulaid scored six points on 3-of-6 shooting and added five rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Goldfarb had five points and a team-high six rebounds off the bench, and Owen scored five points on 2-of-3 shooting.
Head-Royce shot 36 percent (13 of 36), better than the varsity's 33 percent (20 of 60), but the turnover gap made up the difference. The varsity committed four turnovers, forced 14, finished with 11 steals and outscored the Jayhawks 11-2 in points off turnovers. The varsity also won the offensive glass 9-2 and scored eight second-chance points to none for Head-Royce. The Head-Royce bench contributed 18 of the team's 31 points. Williams led the varsity with 12 points, and Clepper added nine on 4-of-6 shooting.
Head-Royce is now 2-1 and returns to action when it hosts Bentley JV on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024.