Hope International HOPE INT 8-4

Rocky Mountain ROCKY MO 7-5

Hope International HOPE INT

8-4

Final

Dec. 19, 2022

Rocky Mountain ROCKY MO

7-5

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Hope International HOPE INT	28	41	69
Rocky Mountain ROCKY MO	43	31	74

Summary
Box Score

Brandon Stinson

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 12/19/2022 2:49:00 PM | Brandon Stinson | Sports Information & Media Coordinator

Rocky Men’s Basketball Defeats Hope International 74-69

CHANDLER, Ariz. Dec. 19, 2022- The Battlin' Bears leave the 2022 Cactus Classic with a victory after taking down Hope International University 74-69.

The first half featured a high level of intensity for the Battlin' Bears, forcing turnovers and finding points in transition. Nick Hart was the difference maker in the first half, scoring 10 points, grabbing 8 rebounds, dishing 3 assists and swiping 3 steals in the first half alone. The Royals found life at the end of the half, but the Battlin' Bears took a 15 point lead going into halftime.

The Royals momentum continued into the second half, as they came out of the locker room on a 13-2 run to cut the Rocky lead to four. The Battlin' Bears continued to respond when they needed to, rattling off a 7-2 run, led by a Kael Robinson three pointer and an-and-one lay up to extend Rocky's lead back to 10 with 13 minutes remaining.

Rocky's offense went cold for the next eight minutes, as a three pointer by Hope's Charles Neal brought the score tied at 60 with 5:51 remaining. Maxim Stephens got the call and delivered, however, scoring a three pointer in response then putting a layup in on the following possession to extend the lead back to five. Great defense and clutch free throw shooting by the Battlin' Bears in the last four minutes propelled them to a 74-69 victory in Chandler.

"I felt our intensity level on the defensive end in the first half really set the tone for us." Coach Bill Driekosen said. "I was proud of how hard we played and how we shared the ball, ending with 20 assists. Hope is a very good team and that was a great way to go into the break and to celebrate Cade Tyson's birthday."

The Battlin' Bears were led by Maxim Stephens' 15 points and five rebounds, Kael Robinson's 13 points, eight assists, four rebounds, and two steals, and Nick Hart's 12 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Elliott Brooks also hit three three pointers on five attempts.

Hope International was led by 20 points, five rebounds and two steals from Charles Neal, as well as 15 points and two steals from Jalani Horn.

The Battlin' Bears (7-5) will head back to Billings as they compete in the Green and Gold Classic next Thursday and Friday.

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