Castines used a strong defensive effort and timely scoring in the second half to earn a 53-43 victory over Pizzaros in a physical, back-and-forth contest.
Pizzaros struck first after the opening tip when they converted a two-point basket to open the scoring, while both teams traded early opportunities during a fast-paced start. At the 13:17 mark of the first half, Pizzaros held a narrow 6-5 advantage after a made free throw by No. 15 gave them the early lead.
Castines quickly settled into its offense, getting contributions from several players. A layup from No. 1 and two made free throws by No. 3 helped shift the momentum, while the team’s aggressive defense created transition opportunities. Chris added points from the free throw line as Castines steadily built its lead.
With 2:47 remaining in the opening half, Castines extended its advantage to 15-9 before adding another basket to make it 17-9 with just over a minute remaining. Pizzaros answered before halftime when No. 15 connected on a three-pointer, trimming the deficit heading into the break.
At halftime, Castines led 17-12.
Alex Medina paced Pizzaros with eight first-half points, while Josh Burhan led Castines with four.
Castines wasted little time increasing its advantage after halftime, opening the second period with a three-pointer before knocking down two free throws to push the lead to eight. Pizzaros refused to go away, responding with a three-point basket, a two-point field goal, and another three-pointer from No. 1 to quickly pull within striking distance.
The comeback continued as No. 15 drove to the basket, missing his initial attempt before converting the putback. The rally cut the deficit to just two points, with Castines holding a slim 25-23 lead.
Castines answered every challenge. A three-pointer from No. 1 and a basket by Carson Duffield helped stretch the advantage back to 32-29 with 8:20 remaining. After another Castines basket made it 34-29, Pizzaros answered once again with a three-pointer to stay within two possessions.
Following a timeout by Pizzaros with 4:53 left, Castines took control. The team converted key free throws down the stretch while tightening its defense. Pizzaros remained within reach after knocking down another three-pointer, but Castines continued to capitalize at the charity stripe.
With just 54 seconds remaining, Castines held a commanding 48-40 advantage and closed out the contest with a strong finish to secure the 53-43 victory.
The win was fueled by balanced scoring, clutch free-throw shooting, and a composed defensive effort in the closing minutes, while Pizzaros showed resilience throughout the game but was unable to overcome Castines’ late surge as they take the win by 10.
The winner will advance to the Conference Finals on Monday, August 10th, 2026.