Men’s basketball advances to KCAC Championship with blowout of Sterling
The Threshers dominated all through the game to advance.
The third-seeded Bethel men’s basketball team dominated seventh-seeded Sterling in the KCAC tournament semifinals, 90-73, after leading by 32 points at halftime.
The Threshers started out the game strong with a three-pointer from Bryant Mocaby to spark momentum. Bethel then went on an 11-2 run to open the game up quickly, leading 25-8 with 11 minutes left in the first half.
In the final seven minutes of the first half, the Threshers outscored the Warriors 23-8, giving the home squad a 57-25 advantage at halftime to an erupting Thresher Gym.
Mocaby would lead the Threshers with a 21-point first half, almost as many points as Sterling’s entire team. In the first half, Bethel shot 83.3% from the floor and 90% from three as six Threshers were perfect from the field in the first half.
Early on in the second half, Bethel led by as much as 33, but the Warriors responded with a 10-0 run to cut their deficit to 23. Sterling was able to trim the lead down to 17 with four-and-a-half minutes left, but the Threshers wouldn’t let the Warriors inch any closer than that, eventually winning the contest 90-73 after head coach Jayson Artaz cleared his bench.
Mocaby led all scorers with 21, Carmelo Yakubu was close behind with 19, Clifford Byrd II with 15, and Christion Whitaker with 10. Yakubu would lead the Threshers in rebounds with eight, and Byrd II led in assists and steals with 11 assists and three steals.
Bethel has won eight straight contests and 13 of its last 15.
The Threshers will now take on Southwestern in the KCAC Championship in Hartman Arena on Monday at 6 p.m. after the Moundbuilders downed top-seeded Oklahoma Wesleyan. Tickets are available for purchase at kcacsports.com/tickets and at the door.