ROCKLIN, Calif. -  The men's basketball team returned to Horton Court on Thursday night after their Christmas break tipping off the New Year's Classic sponsored by Placer Valley Tourism. What was a slow start for the Warriors turned into an offensive surge late in the second half to take down visiting La Sierra University 99-77, advancing to 13-2 overall and just one win shy of the program record with an 11-0 start at home.

Disappointed with the defensive effort and execution out the gate, head coach Lance Von Vogt affirmed the slow start, "We were sluggish out of the gate which unfortunately happens often after a Christmas break. But having 6 guys in double figures again is a terrific luxury for us as it makes it difficult for teams to lock in on stopping just one or two guys."

All tied up, 20-20 at the midway point in the first half, the Warriors broke away for their final lead of the game off a corner three by Wilson LaShells delivered from the paint by Keith Phillips to go up 23-20. 

The Warriors would head into the locker room at the break with a 9-point lead, 47-38 with much room for growth in the second half ahead.

And Jessup did just that in the final 20-minute half, outscoring the Golden Eagles 52-39 shooting an impressive 51-percent from the field and hitting 6 baskets from beyond the arc.

Leading the way for the Warriors was the dynamic duo, Phillips and Brandon Lindsey with a combined 39 points, Phillips leading the way with 20 points and 9 rebounds, Lindsey close behind with 19 points and a pair of assists.

"I really like how Brandon Lindsey is developing into a true point guard and Keith Phillips shouldering a heavy workload as our inside-outside threat," Von Vogt said. "Those two really are roommates and they really work well together."

Also hitting double figures on the night was Brennan Rakoz with 14 points, Luis Medearis with 14 and Tate DeLaVeaga and Antonio Lewis each collecting 11.

Coach Von Vogt is pleased with the offensive performance but looks to improve for the near future, "It was nice to see us share the ball offensively and to keep our turnovers so low. However, I believe we will need much better than this to be successful Saturday versus Ottawa and especially when we open up League play next week." 

The Warriors will take a day off tomorrow with La Sierra and Ottawa - AZ playing but will return on Saturday to take on Ottawa University of Arizona at 1 pm, their final game before conference play kicking off on the road next week.  
William Jessup University is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). For additional information regarding Jessup Athletics, visit www.jessupathletics.com; visit www.jessup.edu for more information on William Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: William Jessup University Athletics (Facebook) and @JessupAthletics (Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat).