OAKLAND, Calif. Head-Royce won the battle on the boards and answered every Gateway push to beat the Gators 66-53 on Tuesday. The Jayhawks (6-4) outrebounded Gateway 37-18, including a 17-4 edge on the offensive glass, and turned those extra chances into an 11-2 advantage in second-chance points.
Gateway hit a three to open the game, and the first stretch went back and forth, with five ties and three lead changes. Gateway built its biggest lead at 13-9 on a basket off a turnover. Nick Taubes answered with a three, assisted by Tucker Peay, and Sam Gulaid's basket put Head-Royce in front 14-13. After Gateway tied the game at 16 at the free throw line, Idan Benharush scored on a second-chance basket and Tucker Peay knocked down a three for a 21-16 lead. The Jayhawks never trailed or were tied again.
Sanjay Ernst came off the bench to hit two 3-pointers, both set up by Tua Montoya, as Head-Royce stretched the margin to 27-20. Montoya added a second-chance three and Gulaid scored again for a 34-22 lead. Gateway cut the gap to 36-29 before Jack Peay took over, scoring all eight points of an 8-0 run on two baskets and four free throws to make it 44-29. Ezra Goldfarb followed with a three and a basket for a 49-34 lead.
Gateway made its strongest push from there, scoring nine straight points, two of its baskets coming off turnovers, to pull within 49-43. Head-Royce responded with a 10-0 run. Taubes started it with a second-chance basket, Jack Peay scored off a turnover, Tucker Peay converted back-to-back baskets assisted by Taubes and Montoya, and Jack Peay capped the burst for a 59-43 lead. Benharush added a basket and two free throws to make it 63-45, the largest lead of the game at 18. Gateway closed with an 8-0 run before Tucker Peay hit a three off a Taubes assist to set the final margin.
Jack Peay led Head-Royce with 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting, went 6 for 6 at the free throw line and added seven rebounds and three steals. Tucker Peay posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, six of them offensive, and made both of his 3-point attempts. Benharush scored 12 points with six rebounds, four on the offensive end. Montoya handed out eight assists and scored six points on two threes, while Taubes had seven points, seven assists and five rebounds.
The ball movement stood out, as Head-Royce recorded 21 assists on 25 field goals. The Jayhawks shot 41 percent (25 of 61), while Gateway shot 44 percent (20 of 45) but took 16 fewer shots, largely because of the rebounding gap. Gateway also went 8 of 18 at the free throw line, compared with 8 of 9 for Head-Royce. The bench contributed 15 points from Ernst, Goldfarb and Gulaid. Gateway held an 11-7 edge in points off turnovers.
Head-Royce improved to 6-4 and returns to action at home against College Prep on Friday, Jan. 16.