They say it’s hard to beat a team 3 times in a row, I guess the season’s third matchup against College Park this weekend was an example of that. The Dons fell for the first time this season to College Park 48-41. 

The loss is uncharacteristic for the Frosh Dons as they weren’t able to establish a rhythm to their game. They shot 24% from the field in the first half, including 1-11 from 3 point land. Despite the poor shooting, the Dons found themselves down only 6 points at halftime, 22-16. Gavin Beers kept the Dons in the game with 5 points, 3 assists and 4 rebounds in the first half. 

The third quarter showed signs of life for the Dons as Arman Craig scored 6 points (and 3 rebounds) in the quarter to spark the Dons to a 28-27 lead going into the 4th quarter. 

The Dons shot 42% from the field in the 4th quarter, surely enough to secure a win, right? The problem was that the Dons also committed 11 turnovers and 5 fouls in the quarter, giving the Falcons ample opportunities to put the Dons away. The Falcons outscored the Dons 21-13 in the quarter to seal the win.

Captain Sameed Marco provided a spark for the Dons, scoring 6 points, 3 of which came from a deep 3pt shot from the left side that kept the Dons close down the stretch. He also sank 1-2 free throws, dropped a fast break dime (assist), and recorded 1 hard-fought rebound for the Dons to take possession of the ball, all while playing lock down defense. 

For the Dons, Arman Craig led all scorers with 12 points and 12 rebounds (Double-Double!), followed by Gavin Beers with 7 and Ryder Malm with 6 points and 8 boards.

The Dons fall to 13-7 and 4-3 in league play. Next up is the rematch against Clayton Valley Charter (17-5, 7-1 in league) this Thursday 2/2 at home at 4:30pm.