OAKLAND, Calif. Head-Royce trailed for the only time all night late in the game, then scored the final nine points to beat Athenian 58-51 on Friday, Jan. 24. The win lifted the Jayhawks to 15-11. Micah Riebel scored five points during the closing run and finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
Head-Royce scored the game's first seven points. Micah Nyamuzuwe hit a 3-pointer off a Riebel assist, Riebel followed with a basket, and Nick Taubes scored off a turnover. After Athenian answered with three points, the Jayhawks went on an 8-0 run. Taubes hit a 3-pointer on a feed from Bryce Clepper, Clepper scored, and Taubes converted another turnover to make it 15-3, Head-Royce's largest lead of the night. Athenian answered with a 7-0 run to pull within 15-10.
The Jayhawks kept their lead for the rest of the half. Taubes hit his second 3-pointer to make it 23-13 and later scored on a second-chance basket for a 31-22 halftime lead. He scored all 14 of his points in the first half.
Baskets by Riebel and Nyamuzuwe pushed the lead to 35-24 early in the second half, but Athenian kept cutting into it and got within 39-37 on a 3-pointer. Jonah Greenberg scored twice to keep Head-Royce in front, and freshman Alex Jones hit 3-pointers for leads of 46-42 and 49-46. Athenian tied the game at 46 and again at 49, then took a 51-49 lead.
Head-Royce scored every point from there. Riebel scored twice in a row, first to tie the game at 51 and then to put the Jayhawks back in front 53-51. Clepper added a basket, and free throws by Riebel, Nyamuzuwe and Mikael Akpala closed out the 9-0 run. Riebel shot 6 of 8 from the field and added three assists. Taubes made 6 of 10 shots, including 2 of 6 from 3-point range, and grabbed five rebounds. Nyamuzuwe had 11 points, three steals and a block. Clepper had four points, six rebounds and four assists, and three of those assists set up Taubes baskets. Akpala pulled down six rebounds.
The bench scored 13 points. Jones had seven on a pair of 3-pointers and a free throw, and Greenberg scored six on 3-of-6 shooting.
Head-Royce shot 47.1 percent (24 of 51), while Athenian shot 34.6 percent (18 of 52). The Jayhawks forced 16 turnovers, made nine steals and committed only six turnovers, and they outscored Athenian 14-4 in points off turnovers. That margin made up for a tough night on the glass and at the line. Athenian won the rebounding battle 35-31, grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and held a 12-6 edge in second-chance points. It also made 12 of 23 free throws, while Head-Royce made 5 of 13.
Head-Royce has won two straight and is 2-0 against Athenian this season after an 84-60 home win on Jan. 7.