UAPB fends off Prairie View for win
With the lead shrinking and the shot clock winding down, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff forward Ismael Plet was forced to take a highly-contested shot Saturday night.
The critical shot swished through the net and helped the UAPB men’s basketball team fend off Prairie View A&M for a 72-59 win at H.O. Clemmons Arena.
The shot was Plet’s first 3-point attempt this season, but he said he had imagined how he would react in this type of situation. “Sometimes as a basketball player, you just visualize moments,” Plet said. “What would you go to if the ball’s in your hands. I saw that shot clock going down … There was helpside [defense], so I couldn’t drive anywhere. So, I took it out, I knew I was going to shoot it. So, I went to what I went through in my imagination, and I shot that step-back shot, side-step shot, and it went in.”
UAPB (12-15, 7-7 SWAC) had led by as much as 54-34 but hadn’t made a shot from the field in over 7 minutes when Plet made the 3-pointer with 3:01 to play. Prairie View had trimmed the lead to 62-53 during that span.
Plet added a layup 38 seconds later to help keep the Golden Lions in the lead. He finished with a team-high 15 points to go with 11 rebounds.
UAPB coach Solomon Bozeman said Plet is a winner.
“He knows what it looks like [to win],” Bozeman said. “So, having [Plet] out there on that floor late is valuable, because he’s experienced winning. I thought he made big-time plays, not only that 3, but I thought he weathered the storm. He kept us together down the stretch.”
Four other Golden Lions reached double digits. Rashad Williams scored 13 points, while Kylen Milton and Lonnell Martin Jr. each scored 12. Milton also collected 11 rebounds. Joe French, who helped seal the win with a corner 3-pointer in the final minute, scored 11.
The Golden Lions’ defense stifled Prairie View A&M (1017, 5-9) for the first 10 minutes. Prairie View made one of its first 16 shot attempts, a 3-pointer by
Charles Lane Jr. The Panthers’ second made shot came with 9:52 remaining in the first half when Brian Myles hit a jumper.
Meanwhile, UAPB started the game on an 8-0 run and went on to lead 13-3. A 3-pointer by Williams gave UAPB an 18-6 lead before Myles hit his shot.
Bozeman said the Golden Lions played disciplined defense.
“We packed the paint,” Bozeman said. “Last time at their place, I think they maybe had 40 to 50 points in the paint, and tonight, they had 18 points in the paint. So, we did a really good job of just being disciplined packing the paint. Guys were in their gaps.”
UAPB held Prairie View to 30% shooting in the first half. Despite the Panthers shooting much better in the second, Prairie View still became the first SWAC team this season not
to reach 60 points against UAPB.
Before the game, UAPB recognized Milton for surpassing 1,000 career points.
He said it is a big milestone for him.
“I know many college athletes really don’t get to reach it, so I’m thankful,
blessed for this opportunity that I get to come out here and play,” Milton said. “So, that’s just a big achievement for me.”