Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
Second half scoring surge leads to 80-64 victory

Second half scoring surge leads to 80-64 victory

OCEANSIDE, Calif. - Down by five at halftime of Thursday's Cal Pac Conference game at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, California, Cal Maritime's offense caught fire and nearly doubled the host Firebirds' output throughout the final 20 minutes of action as the Keelhaulers outscored  USK, 50-29 after halftime, to start its final Southern California road trip with an 80-64 win.

The Keelhaulers will seek a weekend sweep when it heads to Irvine for Saturday's 4 p.m. league matchup at Westcliff.

Illyaas Rafiq scored 12 of his game-high 16 points in the second hhalf by connecting on 4 of 5 shots; Alex Maze added another 13 points; Chris Herrera and DJ Henry recorded 12 and 10 points, respectively, for a Keelhauler team that shot 6-for 11 (55 pct.) from three and 19-for-36 (53 pct.) after the break.

In addition to outrebounding the Firebirds 32-22 — no player finished with more rebounds than Lucky Hampton and his career-high 10 — Cal Maritime scored 28 of its points in the paint and saw its bench outscore the Firebirds' reserves by seven.