Stanton Makes Slugs Sweat

SANTA CRUZ, CA - The Stanton University Elks demonstrated their resilience and competitive fire this past weekend during a demanding road swing through Northern California. The journey began with a successful business trip to the Bay Area, where the Elks secured a hard-fought Cal Pac victory over Cal Maritime.

Riding that wave of momentum, Stanton traveled down to the scenic coast of Santa Cruz for a highly anticipated non-conference matchup against the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs at Kaiser Permanente Arena.

A Strong Start in Santa Cruz

From the opening tip, Stanton looked like the aggressor. The Elks' offense was firing on all cylinders, allowing them to control the tempo for much of the first half. Behind sharp shooting and disciplined transition play, Stanton headed into the locker room with a 37-36 lead at the break.

The offensive charge was led by a pair of dominant performances:

• Yasuhide Hino: A true floor general, Hino delivered a game-high 27 points on a remarkably efficient 11-of-16 shooting performance. He also anchored the team with 6 assists and 5 rebounds.

• Nigel McKay: McKay was a constant threat from deep, pouring in 24 points and knocking down four critical three-pointers to keep the Slugs' defense on its heels.

Standing Their Ground

The intensity of the game reached a boiling point in the second half. In a moment that highlighted the Elks' "all-for-one" mentality, a heated scuffle broke out on the court as Stanton players stood their ground against physical play. The incident resulted in the ejections of 3 Stanton players along with one player from the Banana Slugs.

While the ejections left Stanton short-handed for the final stretch, the moment served as a clear indicator of the team's chemistry and willingness to protect one another under pressure.

Fighting to the Final Buzzer

Despite playing the remainder of the game with a limited bench, the Elks refused to back down. Duje Srzic provided a steady hand during the high-pressure final minutes, finishing the night a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. Ryan Stone also stepped up, leading the rebounding effort for the reserves with 4 boards.

While the final score saw UC Santa Cruz edge out an 82-73 victory, the Elks return home having proven they can outplay top-tier opponents and handle adversity with grit. With Hino and McKay playing at an elite level, Stanton is well-positioned to carry this intensity back into Cal Pac conference play.