Belmont, N.C. – The King University men's basketball team opened Conference Carolinas play on Tuesday evening at the Wheeler Center, battling Belmont Abbey in front of 207 fans. Despite a strong second-half effort, the Tornado were unable to overcome an early deficit, falling 78–67.
First-Half Struggles
King (0–5, 0–1 Conference Carolinas) found itself trailing early as Belmont Abbey (1–2, 1–0 Conference Carolinas) shot 48.5 percent in the opening half, including six three-pointers. The Tornado managed 31 points before halftime but trailed 42–31 at the break.
Tornado Response
King responded in the second half, improving its shooting to 40.5 percent and scoring 36 points.
Jordan Akal led the Tornado offense with 17 points, while
Jeremias Berchal added 13.
Lenier Pocknett was a force on the boards, collecting a game-high 17 rebounds to go along with 11 points.
Luis Acevedo chipped in 12 points, and
Petar Mijatovic contributed seven points and 10 rebounds.
Belmont Abbey Leaders
The Crusaders relied on balanced scoring, with
Daniel Lubamba and
Judah Ravenell each posting 16 points.
Matas Piktuizis added 15 points and eight rebounds off the bench, while
Franklin Davis scored nine. Belmont Abbey's depth proved decisive, as the Crusaders' reserves combined for 29 points compared to King's 19.
Team Comparison
- King shot 35.2 percent from the field (25-of-71) and 30 percent from three (6-of-20).
- Belmont Abbey finished at 39.4 percent overall (28-of-71) and 34.6 percent from deep (9-of-26).
- The Tornado dominated the glass with 51 rebounds, including 21 offensive boards, but struggled at the free-throw line, converting just 44 percent (11-of-25).
- Belmont Abbey capitalized at the stripe, hitting 59 percent (13-of-22), and outscored King in fast-break points, 15–7.
Looking Ahead
King showed resilience in its conference opener, highlighted by strong rebounding and balanced scoring. The Tornado will look to build on those positives as they continue Conference Carolinas play and seek their first win of the season.
