Azebeokhai Hits Game-Winner to Beat No. 8 East L.A.

Saturday's season opener had the feel of a March 3C2A tournament game with the No. 14-ranked Knights squeaking out a 90-88 double overtime victory over No. 8 East Los Angeles on freshman Andrew Azebeokhai Jr's put-back jumper in the lane with 1.2 seconds left.

San Diego City was outrebounded 52-30 and fell behind by as many as 13 points in the first half, but found a way to keep it close. The Knights cut ELAC's lead down to six at halftime and kept it to a two-possession game for most of the second half.

City sophomore Cyprian Hyde, who scored a game-high 27 points on 11-of-13 shooting, tied the game at 50-50 after hitting a pair of free throws at the 13:22 mark of the second half, but East L.A. took advantage of the Knights offensive struggles and regained the lead. 

The Knights had a six-minute stretch midway through the second half where they went without a made field goal. They did, however, hold East L.A. to only seven points during that drought while converting 5-of-6 free throws to stay within four points. 

It wasn't looking good for City late in the game when East L.A. pushed its lead up to 69-63 with 2:44 remaining in regulation, but the Knights kept getting to the foul line and made all six free throws to tie the game at 69-69. 

Jayden Barnes, ELAC's leading scorer with 24 points, put his team ahead by two on a layup with 44 seconds left. 

City sophomore Junior Camacho, who poured in 23 points off the bench, raced up the court on the ensuing possession and tied the game on a layup of his own with 34 seconds showing on the game clock. 

East L.A. had three opportunies in the closing seconds to win the game, but missed a layup, a 3-pointer, and another layup as time expired.

The Knights took their first lead of the game, 76-75, on Hyde's 3-pointer from the right corner with 2:45 remining in the first overtime. After East L.A. regained the lead, Hyde tied it at 78-78 with a free throw. 

East L.A. had the final possession once again, but missed two jumpers at the end of the first overtime.

Hyde kept making big plays in second overtime, including hitting the game-tying jumper with 45 seconds remaining. 

On ELAC's next possession, a layup attempt by Barnes was blocked out of bounds by City's Dylan Griffin. The Knights' defense then forced a shot-clock violation to finally get their chance at a game-winner and they got it. 

Griffin got the ball at the top of the 3-point line with 10 seconds on the clock. He dribbled into the paint and took a fade-away jumper from the free throw line that bounced off the right side of the rim and into the hands of Azebeokhai who came flying into the lane for the rebound.

He quickly jumped back up and took an awkward one-handed shot with a defender's hand in his face. The ball took a soft touch off the front of the rim and fell through the net to put the Knights ahead by two with 1.2 left. 

East L.A. inbounded the ball, but was unable to get a shot off as the Knights mobbed Azebeokhai to celebrate the thrilling season-opening win. 

City head coach Mitch Charlens is now one win shy of 400 for his career. The first chance to reach the milestone will be against Yuba College on Thursday, Nov. 6 at Fullerton College. 

The Knights will then face No. 4 West Valley on Nov. 7, also at Fullerton College.