Halstead Chiverton led all players with 14 points in the game, all off the bench for the Royals. The senior did the most damage from long distance shooting 4-of-9 nine from behind the arc. Ray Victor posted a 10-point performance. Photo: Supplied

The Royals opened the game with a three pointer by senior Ray Victor and went on to trade blows with the Tars much of the first half. Photo: Warner University

The exhibition win over the Tars is a first for the Royals in the head coach Sean Hanrahan era and keeps the Royals at 4-1 headed into the Thanksgiving Break; the Tars open the season 0-1.

The Royals opened the game with a three pointer by senior Ray Victor and went on to trade blows with the Tars much of the first half.  All together the two sides traded the lead five times and had five ties in the first half.

Halstead Chiverton drained a shot from behind the arc to knot things at 19-19 with 6:20 left before halftime.  The shot was the catalyst for a 16-0 run by the Royals, which saw them jump out to an 11 point lead (30-19) with 3:24 remaining.  The Tars responded by scoring the final seven points of the half and trailed the Royals 30-26 at halftime.

The Tars had the hot hand to start the second half as they scored eight straight points and led 34-30 before Bryce Kachinski nailed a three point shot to break up the run.  Overall, both sides struggled from the field in the second half, each side shooting below 30%.  Rollins’ Brett Chance hit a long distance shot at the 14:01 mark to extend the Tars’ lead to 37-33.  It would be the only points scored in a nearly six minute stretch down to the 11:49 mark when Chiverton connected on another three point shot for the Royals.

As things picked up down the stretch, Chiverton was again in the mix for the Royals, this time tying the game at 46-46 with his fourth field goal from behind the arc.  Ray Victor and Bryce Kachinski put the Royals’ ahead by five (51-46) and the Tars’ offense could not keep up the rest of the way.  As the clock ticked down under a minute to play, the Tars sent the Royals to the free throw line in an attempt to keep the game within reach.  As a team the Royals shot 7-of-9 from the free throw line to ice the game and emerge victorious 58-50 over their NCAA-II opponents.

Halstead Chiverton led all players with 14 points in the game, all off the bench for the Royals.  The senior did the most damage from long distance shooting 4-of-9 nine from behind the arc.  He also helped the Royals win the rebound battle over the Tars (43-39) with seven boards of his own.  The duo of Bryce Kachinski and Ray Victor each posted 10 point performances.  Mark St. Fort finished with a game-high 10 rebounds and added nine points as well.

The Royals will have a week off before their next regular season game versus the University of the Virgin Islands next Friday night, Nov. 23, at the Multi-purpose Sports Complex  in Tortola, Virgin Islands.  They will also play University of Puerto Rico-Cayey on Saturday night, Nov. 24.  It is the third time in seven seasons under Coach Hanrahan that the Royals are making the trip to the VI.  While on the Island, the Royals will visit four elementary schools where they will share with local youth on the three B’s (books, bible and basketball).  They will also hold a one day youth basketball clinic for all of the VI.