By Stevie Corio—Reporter
San Jose State men’s basketball fell just short of a win, losing 84-78 against Fresno State (9-16, 5-9 MW) in overtime on Wednesday.
Sophomore Seneca Knight’s double-double was not enough to push SJSU into the win column.
The Spartans (7-18, 3-10 MW) surprised most. Though they didn’t get the win, there was a level of play that isn’t usually present on the court, and may be a result of recent changes head coach Jean Prioleau has made.
“We’re going to continue to play hard and play aggressively,” Knight said.
Junior Richard Washington, who started, performed well in the first half for the Spartans. His high energy was apparent on the court. Washington looked to be the only player before halftime that brought his whole game to the court.
The junior played with a sense of urgency and aggression that was unmatched. He collected 17 points against the Bulldogs, and Prioleau has expressed that fans will be seeing him starting more frequently.
“I have to make tough decisions as a coach and we have a lot of guys over here that want to play,” head coach Jean Prioleau said. “We have to be able to capitalize, and that’s what it comes down to.”
Kaison Hammonds has been seeing more playing time as of late and his execution in last night’s games showed. Normally not in the starting line up, Hammonds scored a career-high 19 points alongside Knight, who led the Spartans with 23 and 13 boards.
“I got to give credit to my teammates for sure. They have had confidence in me all year,” Hammonds said.
The Spartans’ next game is on the road against Air Force on Saturday.
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