POMONA, Calif. — The San Francisco State men's basketball team lost a 67-60 overtime heartbreaker on Friday in the CCAA Championships Semifinals to No. 19 Cal Poly Pomona.
The host Broncos (23-5), who were also the top seed in the tournament, outscored the Gators 9-2 in overtime. The two teams traded baskets but SF State (19-11) was held scoreless over the final three minutes.
SF State trailed early but strung together a 10-2 run that gave the Gators an 11-5 lead.
Jash Kahlon's three-pointer a few possessions later made it a seven-point lead. The Broncos responded and a three-pointer and a pair of free throws swung the favor back to CPP. At the end of the half, the Gators had a shot waived off and instead were whistled for an offensive foul on Jackson. The Broncos picked up a foul at the other end and converted both free throws to take a 27-24 lead into halftime.
The Broncos scored the first three buckets of the second half and SF State called timeout, suddenly down 34-24. Jackson stopped the bleeding with a floater in the lane. Ugbaja and Zeller got to the rim on consecutive trips to cut the lead to six and, a few possessions later,
Michael Diaz's layup pulled the Gators to within two. The Gators trailed by three when Jackson picked up his fourth foul with 8:57 to go. That proved costly, as Jackson had a then game-high 11 points but the senior did not score again.
Evan Zeller tied the game at 46-46. The teams traded the lead and the Gators looked in control after Zeller was knocked to the deck but drained his three-point attempt. His free throw made it 56-52 and the Gators led 58-54 with 1:38 to go but the Gators turned the ball over three times in the final minute, which allowed the Broncos to tie the game. Jackson's three-point attempt at the end of regulation didn't fall and the teams ended regulation tied at 58.
Zeller, who garnered All-CCAA Honorable Mention, led all players with 20 points with five three-pointers and grabbed seven rebounds. All-CCAA First Team selection
Brantley Bynum, grabbed a game-high nine rebounds but the team's leading scorer was held to a season-low two points, which came on a pair of free throws in the opening minutes.
Chiefy Ugbaja added 14 points off the bench. After turning the ball over just six times in the first half, SF State turned the ball over a dozen times over the next 25 minutes.
All-CCAA First Team selection William Christmas led the Broncos with 13 points. Riley Schaefer added 12 points and Jordan Ogundiran scored 10 points.
