Junior guard Julian Hicks hit two clutch free-throws with 13 seconds left in the game to seal San Marcos’ 49-44 victory over Santa Barbara on Saturday at J.R. Richards Gym.
With the win, the Royals remain undefeated in the Channel League, moving to 3-0, while Santa Barbara drops to 0-1 in league play.
In a scrappy and chippy defensive affair, both teams had only two scorers in double figures. Senior Thomas Kinzler led the way for San Marcos with 13 points, and point guard Max Sheldon added in 12 points—nine of which came in the first half. For Santa Barbara, forward R.J. Porter led the way with 12 points, while senior leader Erik Strandburg chipped in 11 points in the loss.
In their first game in weeks due to a COVID-related pause, the Dons struggled mightily to find their rhythm on the offensive end. In total, Santa Barbara only made one three-pointer on the night, courtesy of Andrew Douglas in the second quarter.
“We got good looks, we just didn’t capitalize,” said Dons coach Corey Adam.
San Marcos’ swarming defense made life difficult for Santa Barbara, with the Royals largely shutting down senior guard Jasper Johnson on the night.
“We hang our hat on the defensive end,” said San Marcos coach Jelani Hicks. “They did a good job attacking throughout the night, but we stayed focused on the game plan.”
Despite the rust, Santa Barbara largely stayed in the game throughout the night. In particular, senior Deacon Hill helped the Dons keep the game close by dominating the glass throughout the night. He grabbed 15 rebounds.
“He’s a big, division one football player, and his athleticism and size really showed up out there,” said Adam.
Emotions ran high between the crosstown rivals in the fourth quarter. Douglas went up to block Shakir Ahmad’s layup and was called for a foul on the block attempt. After the play, Douglas picked up a technical foul for taunting, which granted Ahmad four free-throw attempts and gave San Marcos back the ball. After Ahmad made three of his four attempts, the Royals were able to extend the lead to nine, their largest of the evening.
“These kids have been playing with and against each other for years now, so it’s a huge deal to them,” said Jelani Hicks. “In the last few years, it’s been either us or them who wins the league, so there’s a lot to play for.”
Santa Barbara’s grit and defensive tenacity allowed it to cut the deficit to two points after a strong take by Strandburg with less than 30 seconds remaining. Ultimately, the Dons would foul Julian Hicks, sending him to the line with the chance to ice the game. A few minutes prior, Hicks missed two open three-pointers—both shots that could have more or less put the game out of reach. Nonetheless, the junior guard calmly stepped up to the line to give the Royals a four-point lead.
“Those free throws were crucial,” said Jelani Hicks. “He could’ve been down on himself for missing those threes, but Julian is a pretty confident player for us and knows he can make those shots.
“It was good to see him keep his composure.”
Johnson had a chance to bring the deficit down to one with a few seconds remaining, but missed a deep three-pointer.
San Marcos plays at St. Joseph on Monday and hosts Dos Pueblos on Tuesday. Santa Barbara is at Lompoc on Tuesday.
