Box Score MESA, Ariz. – Mason Westlake scored a game-high 24 points and Kingsley Obiorah turned in a stellar all-around performance to lead the fourth-seeded University of California, Merced men's basketball team to a 60-57 win over 20th-ranked and top-seeded University of Antelope Valley in the California Pacific Conference Championship Semifinals on Monday night at Bell Bank Park.

With the win, the Bobcats (21-8) advance to their fourth Cal Pac Championship game in program history and will take on Westcliff University for the title on Tuesday, February 28 at 7:00pm PST. The Bobcats most recent postseason hardware came in the 2020-21 Cal Pac Phase Two Championship game. A championship win this time around would send the Bobcats to their first ever NAIA National Championships.

UC Merced earned their fifth top 25 win all-time and first since 2018 in part due to holding UAV nearly 30 points under their season average. UC Merced, the top defense in the Cal Pac, became the first team to hold the Pioneers under 60 points since the Bobcats last did so on February 10, 2018.

A crucial defensive stretch for head coach Kevin Pham's squad came at the start of the second half, shutting down the Pioneers for the first four minutes while pouring in ten points of their own to take a 40-34 lead. The six-point lead was the biggest either team held the entire game. The strong start to the half allowed UC Merced to be in control the rest of the way and the Bobcats were either in front or tied for all but one minute the remainder of the game.

Tied 55-55 with under a minute to go, the Bobcats melted some clock before Chris Bramah attacked and finished at the rim to put his team ahead 57-55 with 28 seconds left. UAV came up empty on their next possession, and then Georgie Nze buried two free throws to put the Bobcats up two possessions with 14 seconds to go.

UC Merced held their lead and won their 28th consecutive game dating back to 2020 when holding opponents to 60 points or less.

Westlake finished as the game's leading scorer with 24 points, just two points shy of his own program postseason record of 26 points. The Bobcats senior cashed in three triples and also notched two steals and two rebounds. His scoring effort moved him ahead of William Jessup's Lucas Birchard for sixth in Cal Pac history with 1,386 career points.

Obiorah, the Cal Pac Defensive Player of the Year, stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, a career-high 15 rebounds, a UC Merced single-game record seven blocks, and four assists. Obiorah became the UC Merced's all-time leading rebounder with his tenacious efforts on the boards, passing Aaron Laflin for first in program history with 629 career rebounds. Nine of Obiorah's career-high 15 rebounds on Monday night came on the offensive glass. His seven block outing gives him a five-block, six-block, and seven-block performance in his decorated career.

Bramah scored eleven points and shot 50% (2-4) from downtown. The junior also had seven rebounds and three assists.

DeDrick Martin tallied career-high's of 14 rebounds and three steals to go along with two made baskets and a pair of free throws. He had six offensive boards.

Nze pitched in six rebounds, two assists, and a steal as well as his two clutch free throws.

The Bobcats win over UAV was their first in the last 13 games against the opponent.

The two teams traded buckets to start the highly anticipated semifinal matchup and the score was tied 11-11 after eight minutes of action. Ajiake broke the tie and then Westlake knocked down a three-pointer in the corner to put the Bobcats up 16-11. The Bobcats held a 16-15 lead before UAV countered with a 14-6 run to take their biggest lead of the game, 29-24 with just under four minutes before intermission. The Bobcats pulled even at 30-30, but trailed 34-30 at halftime.

Bramah sparked UC Merced's 10-0 run to start the second half with a triple and then Westlake scored the Bobcats next seven points to go up by a game-high six points at 40-34.

UAV regained the lead at 45-44, only for the Bobcats to score the next five points and remain out in front until the game was tied 55-55 with two and a half minutes left. Both teams used the majority of the shot clock and came up empty on their next four possessions combined, keeping the game tied inside of a minute.

Bramah then went to work and scored what would figuratively be the game-winning bucket. Nze and Martin then helped seal the deal at the charity stripe.

Up next, UC Merced will play third-seeded Westcliff in the Cal Pac Championship game on Tuesday, February 28 at 7:00pm PST.