The Moorpark Raiders victory Friday night over Santa Barbara marked Sophomore Night for seven members of the men’s basketball team. Tim Andreolli, Mason Johnson, Ben Grant, Najeem Nawabi, Colton Hage, Hasan Haamoun and Abram Bautista were honored before the game along with their families to commemorate their athletic and academic contributions to the institution.

When quizzed on what qualities this sophomore group possessed that will be missed the most, Head Coach Chris Morgan identified the players passion for the game.

“Their work ethic, their love for just getting in the gym and getting better and their togetherness,” Morgan stated. “This group especially was one that … loved playing together and love playing with one another and that’s not something that you get often.”

Andreolli suffered a sprained ankle in the second half of the team’s midweek loss at Cuesta College but still dressed out and started on Sophomore Night. Hage, a fellow sophomore, immediately fouled on Andreolli’s behalf to start the game in order for Andreolli to get pulled as he was recognized for the conclusion of his Raider sophomore regular season campaign.

Andreolli concludes the year starting all 28 games for the Raiders and leads the team in the statistical categories of points per game (19.6), total free throws (109) and total three pointers (85).

With play underway, Moorpark held a comfortable lead for the better of 12 minutes. The duo of sophomore guards Grant and Johnson combined for 12 early points as Moorpark held a 21-19 lead. Santa Barbara jumped out to its first lead of the game behind a 7-0 run as Moorpark was forced into its first timeout and the game’s first break with 6:52 remaining in the first half. With the score 26-21 in Santa Barbara’s favor, the two teams traded a total of five three’s in quick succession to allow Moorpark to cut Santa Barbara’s lead down to one at 34-33.

A running theme for the game was Moorpark’s initial inability to stay out of foul trouble. Santa Barbara entered the bonus for the final seven minutes of the first half and capitalized accordingly. Four of Santa Barbara’s next six points resulted from cheap fouls and easy opportunities as the Raiders entered halftime down 40-35 in what was potentially their final home game of the year.

“It’s Sophomore Night but we still had to get the job done,” Nawabi stated, a sophomore guard. “In the beginning of the game we got away from that but we just tried to soak it in and have fun.”

Initial attempts to cut into the Santa Barbara lead proved futile as four-point deficits were pushed back to seven and eight on two separate occasions. With a 49-42 advantage to Santa Barbara, the sophomore class dug deep and did what it has done all season and continued to fight.

Nawabi, Johnson and Grant lead the charge on what quickly became a 51-50 lead after a 9-1 run built on strong defensive play and quick transition basketball. A back and forth affair ensued but it was going to come down to the veteran leadership to step up and make the game-deciding plays in order to ensure victory.

Freshman guard Noah Slife gave insight on what it means to learn and grow from a veteran-laden group such as Moorpark’s.

“We got in our huddle and knew it was time to stop messing around and focus up,” Slife said. “(Sophomores) basically said stop messing around and let’s get a win.”

With the score knotted at 57-57, the team did exactly that with contributions from freshman Derrick Young Jr. and Andrew Wetter who stepped up with two hustle plays to give the Raiders a 60-59 advantage. A Johnson three pointer from the right-wing pushed the lead to four before Young Jr. chipped in two more off a baby hook on the right block.

However, no play would encapsulate the spirit of the Moorpark team and season more than what came next. A turnover from Santa Barbara set up a possession in which Moorpark recorded three straight offensive rebounds to no avail and Santa Barbara had no more than a small scare. That is until a swooping Wetter charged toward three opposition players to steal the rebound out of the opposition hands and easily lay it in the bucket to take an eight-point 67-59 advantage.

The Raiders would not relinquish the lead over the next seven minutes and calmly responded to the opposing team’s best shot. Several late three pointer’s by Santa Barbara gave the illusion of a closer finale but the game was never in doubt down the stretch as Moorpark walked away with an 87-81 victory in their final regular-season game.

“The camaraderie that I’ve made with a lot of these players even last year, but this group was special” Nawabi reflected. “I’m forever grateful for the relationships that I’ve built through the years that I’m sure I’ll never forget.”

Leading scorers for the Raiders versus Santa Barbara were Grant (23), Nawabi (13) and Johnson who finished with 15 points and 16 rebounds for a double-double.

The Raiders, with their victory, are now 15-13 overall and finish conference play in third place with a record of 7-5.