The Park University men's basketball program was in Breckon Sports Center on Saturday with an afternoon contest with the Pride of Clarke University. Clarke was neck and neck with the Pirates for most the game, but Park made plays down the stretch to secure the win, 77-75.

Park bumps up to 10-14 on the year with a 7-9 Heart of America Athletic Conference record. Clarke was hungry for a win, but are down to 4-20 and 1-15 of the same.

The threes were flowing early for Park with two makes from deep right off the bat from Mikkel Cintron and Tristan McRoberts. Park stayed on the attack and after an Otavio Armani lay-in, the Pirates led 19-6 with 12:36 in the half. In the next five minutes, the Pride battled back and hit two threes to make it 25-19 at 7:12. It was a big three-point play by Park's Mannie Odo on an and-one at 5:09 to restore a 10-point lead, 32-22. A couple more threes down the stretch by Clarke put the score into a one-possession ball game at half, 36-34.

While Park unloaded threes early, they had four in the first half, compared to the Pride who heated up late with seven makes from behind the arc. In the second half, this was largely a one-possession game outside of a couple times Park went up by two scores. Clarke briefly held the lead at the 8:27 mark, but Amaire Perkins knocked down a huge three-point jumper to tie the game. A possession later, he would knock down another triple to create the final lead change for the game. Cintron and Perkins made key layups to keep their team up as the game went along, but the Pirates also hit enough free-throws to stay ahead, 77-75. Clarke had the ball last and on their previous possession made a three-pointer to come within a point. After an Armani free-throw make and only down two points, the Pride heaved up one final three. The shot was in and out and the Pirates survived in Breckon Sports Center, 77-75.

Seven threes landed for the Pride in the second half, giving them 14 for the game, while the Pirates were over their average with eight three-point makes for the game. Park shot 37-percent from the field, while the Pride were at 40-percent.

The difference from the free-throw line was apparent. Park was 19-of-24, while Clarke was only nine-of-16.

The Pirates tied their season low of four turnovers for the game, but the Pride took care of the ball as well with only seven turnovers. Both sides had five points off of those turnovers.

All in all, this balanced matchup had five ties and six lead changes.

Cintron led the scoring effort with his season-high of 20 points on three made three-pointers to co-lead the team.

McRoberts the other Pirate with three made three-pointers was up there with 17 points and was two rebounds shy of a double-double. Cintron also with a good rebounding game, came down with seven.

Odo put up a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Armani was also hunting a double-double with 10 rebounds and nine points.

Perkins gave great effort with a 13 point performance with a two-of-three game from distance.

Bayley Crawford led Park with five assists in the game and did good work rebounding with seven boards.

Park will head to Des Moines, Iowa tomorrow against Grand View University at 7:30pm. WATCH
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