The Briar Cliff men’s basketball team beat Hastings 74-64 Saturday in Hastings, Nebraska to pick up their fifth GPAC win. For the third game in a row the Chargers reached double-digit 3-pointers with 13 today on 48.1% shooting.
“Really happy for our guys to get back into GPAC play with a road win,” said head coach Mark Svagera. “We really stayed the course and withstood some Hastings runs today.”
The Chargers knocked down five 3-pointers in the opening 10 minutes as they lead 24-17. There were five lead changes in the opening five minutes, but a Kleinhesselink layup put BC on top and they held the lead the rest of the half. A pair of free throws from Matthew Stilwill gave the Cliff their largest lead of the half 30-21 with 6:39 remaining. BC held a 37-34 lead at the halftime break.
Stilwill tied for a team high in the opening 20 minutes with eight points off the bench. The Chargers came away with 12 points off turnovers and knocked down seven 3-pointers in the first half.
BC scored the first eight points of the second half behind two straight treys from Conner Groves and Kleinhesselink, followed by a Groves jumper forcing an early timeout from the Broncos. Hastings answered with a 16-3 run over the next five minutes of play and grabbed a 50-48 lead.
A four-point play from Nick Hoyt gave the momentum back to the Cliff at the nine-minute mark of the half. The Chargers took their largest lead of the night 71-59 after Kleinhesselink’s fourth 3-pointer. Despite scoring just three points over the final 3:31 of play, the Chargers held Hastings to 1-for-6 from the field as they took a 74-64 win.
“Hoyt and Stilwill were very good for us off the bench today and helped to kickstart a big second half run,” said Svagera.
Vesey and Kleinhesselink paced the Cliff with 16 points apiece. Vesey grabbed seven rebounds and Kleinhesselink went 5-for-9 from the floor. Hoty knocked down four treys and scored 15 points, while Stilwill added 12 points on 4-of-4 shooting. Kyle Boerhave dished out five assists and as a team the Chargers had 20 assists to 10 turnovers.
The Chargers had the advantage in points off turnovers 22-4, bench points 27-23 and points in the paint 24-18. Hastings won the rebounding battle 33-25 with 10 offensive boards.
Dashawn Walker scored a game high 23 points with five rebounds and four assists. Karson Gansebom and Mathias Nchekwube both had 13 points.
The Chargers look to win their fourth straight contest Wednesday night at Dakota Wesleyan. Tip-off is set for 7:45 between the Chargers and Tigers at the Corn Palace.
