Victor’s Late Layup Beats Azusa Pacific

Concordia University has had a record-breaking season and is already set to participate in the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics tournament next week. But it had some unfinished business Tuesday night in the Golden State Athletic Conference championship game.

Azusa Pacific, the GSAC’s most dominant team in the last decade, dealt the Eagles two of their four losses this season. Chris Victor would see to it that there wouldn’t be another.

Victor’s driving layup with 12.3 seconds left gave Concordia the lead for good as it pulled off a 69-67 victory in front of 1,128 at Azusa’s Felix Event Center.

It was the Eagles’ first win against Azusa Pacific in a seven-year, 15-game span and Coach Ken Ammann’s first against Cougar Coach Bill Odell since leaving Odell’s staff two years ago.

Azusa Pacific won the regular-season championship by one game over Concordia, the difference aided by a sweep of the Eagles.

“We were disappointed not to win the league title and we felt we had something to prove,” Ammann said. “We set a goal to win this tournament.”

Victor made a free throw for the final margin.

Azusa’s Brett Michel made a three-point basket to give the Cougars a 67-66 lead.

Victor and Rashaun Thomas each had 18 points as the Eagles (31-4) won their first conference tournament in four years.

Caleb Gervin led Azusa Pacific (27-6) with 17 points.