Benedictine Mesa Men's Basketball Team falls to Hope International, 72-94.
First Half: The game started with high intensity as
Malik Payton's thunderous dunk put Benedictine Mesa on the scoreboard first. Hope International quickly responded with a three-pointer from Grant Sii, taking an early lead. Both teams exchanged defensive stops and turnovers, with Hope extending their advantage to 14-7 through strong perimeter shooting. Despite a spirited effort from Benedictine, highlighted by a three-pointer from
Emad Elniel, Hope continued to widen the gap.
As the first half progressed, Benedictine showed resilience, narrowing the deficit with back-to-back three-pointers from
Damian Zivak, cutting the lead to 20-16. The intensity ramped up as both teams battled for control, but Hope maintained a narrow lead. A late surge from Benedictine saw them pull within one point, with the half ending at 41-40 in favor of Hope International.
Second Half: In the second half, Benedictine sought to close the gap further, but Hope scored frst with Josh Hardiman scoring a quick layup. The teams continued to trade baskets, with
Deven Franks energizing the crowd with a three-pointer that cut Hope's lead to 45-48. However, Hope's offense remained strong, as they extended their advantage to 72-58.
As the game neared its conclusion, Benedictine fought hard, with
Malakai Harris hitting a much-needed three-pointer to bring the score to 63-80. Despite their efforts and some late-game scoring, Hope International maintained control and finished with a decisive score of 94-72.
Key Players:
Looking Ahead: The Redhawks will look to bounce back as they return to action on Saturday, January 11th, taking on Life Pacific on the road.
