Glendale, AZ – Dynasty?

Grand Canyon University Men's Club Basketball continued its dominance in the Arizona Collegiate Basketball League on Monday night, securing its third straight championship with a commanding Team 1 65-45 victory over JKP Academy. GCU Team 2 beat ACU Team 1, 63-50, to secure third place. Both GCU teams combined to go 28-0 over the previous 14-week ACBL season.

"Winning the ACBL three years in a row is a testament to the culture and commitment we've built," said GCU Head Coach Lamont Lane. "Every year, we have new players that step up and adjust to different challenges, yet we still maintain the same standard."

The Lopes faced off with JKP Academy once before this season, a game that resulted in an 82-81 GCU overtime win -thanks to a game-winning shot from senior guard David Black. This time, GCU had a stronger game plan, playing with extreme pace from the jump and quickly opening up a 9-0 lead before JKP finally scored their first basket.

 

"We knew JKP had size and a strong presence in the paint, but our guys did a great job executing the game plan," said Lane. "We played fast and then controlled the pace, making plays on both ends."

Black was also a key contributor in this matchup, scoring 10 points and tallying 12 assists while organizing most of the offensive sets. Lopes' Yeshua Brice added 15 points off the bench, and recent addition Mason Railsback scored 10 points while securing four steals and wowing the crowd with an emphatic transition dunk.

"Yeshua was a huge spark for us off the bench," said Lane. "Mason also showed how versatile he can be in his first-ever championship game."

The Lopes took what was a close game at halftime and blew it open in the second half, pushing the margin to double digits quickly and never letting off the gas.


Not to be forgotten, GCU Team 2 took care of business in the ACBL third-place game, beating ACU 1 to complete their own undefeated season. Unfortunately, due to the format of the ACBL, Team 2 did not get a chance to fight for the title.

"It's bittersweet because our second team, led by Head Coach Caleb Smith, was also undefeated in ACBL games this year but didn't get a shot at the title due to point differential," said Lane. "That being said, we're proud of the way both teams represented GCU, and it's a testament to the depth that we have in our program."

Next up for GCU Club Basketball is the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association Regional Tournament, hosted at the Canyon Activity Center from Friday, February 28 through Sunday, March 2.

"We're ready for the next set of challenges at NIRSA Regionals," said Lane.