OAKLAND, Calif. Head-Royce came back from a 16-point deficit to lead three times in the second half, but Oakland High answered each one and held on for a 68-64 win over the Jayhawks on Saturday. Head-Royce fell to 13-10. Oakland High scored the first 14 points of the game, and a 13-4 edge in free throws made helped the visitors hold off the rally.
Oakland High scored three baskets off turnovers during its opening 14-0 run. Micah Nyamuzuwe got Head-Royce on the board with a basket assisted by Bryce Clepper. After an Oakland High 3-pointer, Alex Jones and Nyamuzuwe hit back-to-back 3-pointers in a 6-0 run that cut the lead to 17-8. Oakland High pushed its lead to 16 at 37-21. Clepper hit a 3-pointer, Micah Riebel made a free throw and Ezra Goldfarb scored on a putback, which left the Jayhawks down 39-27 at halftime.
Head-Royce opened the second half with two Riebel free throws and a Nyamuzuwe 3-pointer off a turnover, making it 7-0 in all and cutting the lead to 39-32. The Jayhawks stayed within reach, and a Jones 3-pointer made it 49-46. Jack Peay then scored six straight points, including a putback, to give Head-Royce its first lead at 52-51. Oakland High went back in front, and Nick Taubes answered with a 3-pointer for a 55-53 lead, the largest of the day for the Jayhawks. Oakland High scored the next five points. Nyamuzuwe and Peay followed with baskets for a 59-58 lead.
That was the last lead for Head-Royce. Oakland High took the lead for good on a second-chance basket and scored seven straight points to go up 65-59. Mikael Akpala hit a 3-pointer to make it 65-62, but Oakland High scored three more points. Peay scored the game's final basket, which made it 68-64. The game had six lead changes.
Taubes and Nyamuzuwe each scored 13 points. Taubes went 5 of 12 from the field, including 3 of 9 from 3-point range, and added six rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Nyamuzuwe shot 5 of 9 with three 3-pointers and two blocks. Peay led the bench with 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting and had two steals. Akpala posted nine points and a team-high nine rebounds. Clepper had eight points and a team-high six assists, and Riebel added three points and four assists.
The Jayhawks shot 50 percent from the field (25 of 50) and made 10 of 26 3-point attempts. Oakland High shot 43.3 percent and made 3 of 11 from deep. Head-Royce assisted on 17 of its 25 field goals, won the rebounding battle 31-27 and got 18 points from its bench. The difference came at the free throw line and in ball security. Oakland High made 13 of 25 free throws, while Head-Royce made 4 of 7. Head-Royce committed 13 turnovers to Oakland High's five, and Oakland High held a 12-8 edge in points off turnovers.
Head-Royce is now 13-10 on the season.