Freshman Al Green Shines With 33 Points in Win Over Palomar

Playing in front of the largest home crowd of the season on sophomore night, it was freshman Al Green who carried the Knights offensively with a career-high 33 points on 10-of-13 shooting in a 91-86 home win over Palomar. It was the Knights' seventh win in the last eight games as they improved to 22-5 overall and 13-2 in the PCAC.

Green's 33 points were the most for a Knight since Darien McClain's 39 points in a sweet sixteen win on March 4, 2017. Green hit two 3-pointers and made 11 of his 16 free throw attempts to help stave off a late Palomar rally.

Anthony Howell, the only player on the roster to have played both his freshman and sophomore years with the Knights, recorded his fifth double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while also adding three assists and three blocks.

Sophomore Lorenzo Wright provided 18 points, including 8-of-11 from the free throw line, off the bench. Sophomore Kailen Rains added 10 points, three rebounds, and two steals.

San Diego City, behind Green's 19 first half points, built a 12-point lead, their largest of the game, with 5:13 left in the first half. The Knights missed only six shots in the first half and ended up shooting a scorching hot 73.9% on their way to a 46-36 halftime advantage.

Palomar, who defeated the Knights 94-84 in the first meeting on January 18, got right back into it with a 9-3 run to start the second half. The Comets got to within four points on five more occasions, and to within three with 13:21 remaining, but the Knights had an answer every time. 

City then scored eight straight points to take a 67-56 lead during a 3-minute stretch that included an impressive defensive performance by Logan Huston who blocked four shots in that span.

Palomar's Ciro Baeza, who scored 21 of his 32 points in the second half, kept the Comets in the game and made a layup with 34 seconds left to get his team to within three points. He was fouled on that bucket and missed the free throw, but his teammate Clyde Harris recovered the offensive rebound. Baeza got another look inside the paint, but missed a layup in traffic and Howell grabbed the board. 

Wright was fouled on the other end and then sank two free throws to put the game away.

City cooled off in the second half, but still ended up shooting 55.6% for the game and held Palomar to 40%.

The Knights have won all nine home games this season, including all eight during PCAC play. They have won 23 straight PCAC home games, a streak that started on January 13, 2020.

City has one more PCAC game at MiraCosta on Friday with the tip scheduled for 5 p.m. The Knights are one game behind first place Miramar and are still in the hunt for a share of the conference championship, but would need to beat MiraCosta and have Miramar lose to Cuyamaca in a major upset.