OAKLAND, Calif. Head-Royce shot 29.6 percent from the field and could not recover from a 15-0 second-half run by Kraken, falling 56-48 in a summer game on Wednesday, June 12. The loss dropped the Jayhawks to 4-2.
The first half went back and forth. Head-Royce opened the scoring with a second-chance 3-pointer and built an 8-4 lead, which tied for its biggest of the night. The teams were tied at 10 and again at 12, and Kraken moved in front 19-18 and 22-20 late in the half. A Head-Royce 3-pointer off a turnover put the Jayhawks back on top, and they took a 23-22 lead into halftime.
Kraken tied the game at 23 with a free throw to start the second half, but Head-Royce answered with another 3-pointer off a turnover. After a Kraken basket, the Jayhawks hit a third 3-pointer for a 29-25 lead. Kraken then took control. It scored 15 straight points, including back-to-back second-chance baskets and a 3-pointer, to turn that four-point deficit into a 40-29 lead. The run produced the last tie and the last of the game's six lead changes.
Head-Royce kept firing from the perimeter. Davis Lynch hit a 3-pointer on an assist from Lil O to cut the deficit to 43-35, and Nick Taubes connected from deep to make it 50-40. Kraken answered each time and stretched its lead to 54-40, its largest of the game. The Jayhawks closed with an 8-0 run. Lamarr Covington made two free throws, Taubes hit his second 3-pointer, Head-Royce added a free throw, and Covington's basket pulled the Jayhawks within 54-48. Kraken sealed the win with two free throws.
Taubes led Head-Royce with 6 points, going 2 of 4 from 3-point range. Covington added 4 points and made 2 of 3 free throws. Lynch scored 3 points on his only shot of the game, and sophomore Jack Peay went 1 for 1 from the field with a second-chance basket to go with an offensive rebound. Lil O had an assist and an offensive rebound, and Luke Silva also grabbed an offensive rebound.
Head-Royce made 16 of 54 shots, while Kraken shot 44.2 percent (23 of 52). The Jayhawks held the edge from beyond the arc, making 10 of 27 3-point attempts to Kraken's 4 of 17, but Kraken controlled the interior. The visitors outrebounded Head-Royce 30-25, grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and outscored the Jayhawks 8-5 in second-chance points. Kraken also had 13 assists to Head-Royce's 8 and blocked four shots.
The Jayhawks created chances with their defense, recording six steals, forcing eight turnovers and outscoring Kraken 8-4 in points off turnovers. They committed 10 turnovers of their own.
Head-Royce is now 4-2 this summer.