RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- Despite a 68-59 road loss Thursday at LaSierra, the Simpson men's basketball team earned a berth into the California Pacific Conference postseason tournament for the third straight season under head coach,
Todd Franklin. The Red Hawks and Antelope Valley are the only Cal Pac teams to have qualified for the playoffs in each of the past three seasons.
The road loss could have proved more critical to Simpson's postseason hopes, but a Pacific Union victory over Benedictine-Mesa clinched the entry into the four-team championship held February 29 and March 2 in Lancaster, Calif. at the UAV home site. The Red Hawks have one regular season contest remaining Saturday at UAV and their final seed and opponent will be determined following that game.
Nathan Presnell led Simpson on Thursday with his 5th double-double of the season, scoring 18 points and grabbing 13 rebound.
Dylan Banks and
Blake Trent each added 11 points, but the Golden Eagles grabbed control midway through the second half after Simpson led by a point at the intermission.
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