T.J. Lipold scored on a putback for his only basket of the game with 25 seconds left and Preston Branson hit a free-throw to give No. 22 Westmont an 82-80 win over Vanguard in a GSAC men’s basketball game on Tuesday night at Murchison Gym.
Down 80-77 with 50 seconds to go, Branson hit a jumper to make it a one-point game. Branson then stole the ball from Vanguard’s Christopher Kupets but missed a layup with 26 seconds left. Lipold grabbed the rebound and scored to put the Warriors in the lead, 81-80.
“All T.J. makes is clutch baskets,” said Westmont head coach John Moore. “He gets another one to put in his storybook of clutch baskets. There are a lot of players who never make a game winner. T.J. has made ten or twelve in his college career.”
On Vanguard’s next possession, C.J Miller drew a charge from Kupets, giving the ball back to the Warriors.
The Lions fouled Branson and he made one of two free throws with 11 seconds to go for a two-point advantage.
Kupets got off a shot with two seconds left but he missed and Westmont’s Nate Gibbs grabbed the rebound as time expired.
“As (assistant coach) Jeff Azain told the team, good teams find a way to win games like this,” said Moore. “We are a good team. We are a team that expects to win. We are a team that is unified. Unified teams are pulling for whoever is the next man up. Tonight it was T.J. Lipold making the most important basket of the game and C.J. Miller making the most important defensive stop.”
The game was close throughout. Westmont’s biggest lead was six points and Vanguard’s five points.
Branson scored 22 points to lead the Warriors in scoring. C.J. Miller scored 17 points, Jordan Sachs added 12 points and Gibb eight for Westmont (16-4, 8-3).
Taylor Kelly poured in 27 points for Vanguard (13-9, 5-6).
