Park University's men's basketball program opened the season with No. 5 Georgetown College on Saturday at Breckon Sports Center for the Remington Williams Memorial Game. The Tigers looked the part, but the Pirates played with them in the 76-67 loss.

The Pirates are 0-1 to begin the season, while the 2023 NAIA Men's Basketball semifinalist is now 3-0 to begin the year.

Park got out to a good start in the matchup with a four-point lead, 7-4, thanks to a the first three-pointer for Jasigha Barnes in a Pirate uniform in his season debut. And then within the first four minutes of play, Jaden Robinson, another newcomer, threw down two dunks and eight of Park's first 11 points. It went back and forth during the next several minutes but the third and final lead change took place at 13:16 in the first half with Georgetown up 16-15.

With under 10 minutes in the first half a 9-0 scoring run over a 2:27 period put Park in a hole, 33-20. Two made three-pointers in the first half by DeMarcus Hudson helped the Pirates get back in the game and trailed 40-30 at halftime.

Hudson was the leading scorer for Park with 25 points and was close to a double-double with eight rebounds. He gave a great defensive effort as well with six steals.

Park looked hungry coming out of the break with a 9-2 scoring run to bring it within three points, 42-39. It continued to be tight and Park brought it even closer at the 14:48 mark after a Savian Edwards layup to make it 47-45.

After a Georgetown timeout at 11:52, Head Coach Chris Briggs seemed to regather his group and in response the Tigers rallied for a 7-0 run to give them a 10 point lead, 59-49.

The deficit was eight in the last two minutes of play and Park was aided by a personal foul and a technical foul on the Tigers, which amounted to four made free-throws by Park and cut the deficit to only four points, 69-65. In the end, the Pirates were able to bring it within three points before the Tigers iced the game at 74-67.

Robinson had a great first impression in Breckon Sports Center with 16 points and led Park with nine rebounds.

Augusto Hausmann and Barnes broke 10 points with a pair of 10-point performances. Barnes and Edwards also were play makers with three assists each.

Neither team shot a particularly high clip from deep at 5-for-15 for Park and 6-for-14 for the Tigers. Free throw percentages were not the strong suit in this game either as the Tigers shot 54.5-percent to Park's 59.3-percent.

Second chance points were more than double for the Tigers with 19 to Park's eight on six more offensive rebounds.

Georgetown committed six more turnovers at 17 to Park's 11 and the Pirates were only able to connect 14 points to those turnovers to Georgetown's 17.

The Pirates will be back in action on Thursday at 3:30pm against Bacone College in Lawrence, Kan. for the Haskell University hosted Ernie Stevens Jr. Classic. WATCH
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