Fullerton, CA - The Hope International University men's basketball team (3-1) dominated with a 68-35 win over the Loyola University Wolf Pack on Friday evening in the Darling Pavilion.
The Royals opened the scoring just three minutes into the game with a layup by Nick Hopkins. Hopkins quickly followed with another jumper setting the tone for the Royals offensive momentum and giving the Royals a 4-0 lead. After a made jumper by the Wolf Pack, Aaron Wadman immediately answered with a three-pointer to extend the lead to 2-7 with 14 minuets left in the first half. As the half progressed, the Royals continued to widen the gap. CJ Fisher recorded a dunk widening the Royals lead at 19-7. Josh Hardiman added another dunk soon after giving the Royals a 28-11 lead with 2 minutes left in the first half. While the Wolf Pack fought hard to keep the game competitive, the Royals strong defense and consistent offense kept the Wolf Pack at bay. The Royals entered halftime up 30-17.
In the second half, the Royals came out strong and continued to extend their lead over the Wolf Pack with an effective offensive and defensive performance. Nick Hopkins immediately set the tone with a three-point play off of a shooting foul committed by the Wolf Pack. This gave the Royals a 17-33 lead in the first minute of the game. The Wolf Pack attempted to close the gap but Hopkins and Fisher quickly countered with a series of successful shots including a three pointer by Fisher with 16 minuets to go bringing the score to 39-21. Despite some resilience from the Wolf Pack, The Royals Defense continued to hold strong. The Royals continued to execute on offense effectively with layups and free throws from Sebastian Castro, Josh Hardiman, and Allen Wright extending the lead to as much as 35 points. The Royals closed the game decisively with a 68-35 win over the Wolf Pack. Nick Hopkins led with 15 points and Josh Hardiman with 11 points, while Aaron Wadman led with 7 rebounds.
The Royals continue their season at home as they take on Bethesda University of California on Saturday , November 16th at 3:00 PM in the Darling Pavilion.
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