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Akron Zips sports Nov. 18-24 | Nate Johnson leads men's basketball to three wins in a row
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- Akron Zips sports Nov. 18-24 | Nate Johnson leads men's basketball to three wins in a row
The University of Akron men's basketball team went 3-0 in the inaugural Akron Basketball Classic at Rhodes Arena over the weekend.
Akron (4-2) beat Lamar 79-72 Friday, Nebraska Omaha 92-84 Saturday and Alabama State 97-78 Sunday.
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Akron's Nate Johnson was named the MVP of the tournament. Amani Lyles and Isaiah Gray were named to the seven-man all-tournament team.
"To get the opportunity to play three games in three days, you learn a lot about your team, especially with nine newcomers," Akron coach John Groce said Sunday. "I thought we took multiple steps in the right direction, Offensively, I thought we were pretty good throughout the weekend. ... I thought this was our best defensive game. We still have a ways to go there."
Akron Zips guard Nate Johnson shoots over Kent State guard Giovanni Santiago during the second half of the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship game, Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Cleveland.
Johnson scored a career-high 25 points and added five rebounds and three assists Sunday against Alabama State (3-3). He shot 7-of-12 from the field, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, and went 8-of-8 on free throws in 30 minutes.
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"This three days has been about building more chemistry as a team and we have gotten better everyday," Johnson said Sunday.
Akron's Bowen Hardman made 6 of 7 3-pointers and scored a career-high 19 points against Alabama State.
Gray added 11 points, five rebounds and four assists. Sharron Young scored 10 points. Shammah Scott, James Okonkwo and Tavari Johnson scored eight points apiece. Okonkwo and Josiah Harris both grabbed 10 rebounds. Harris and Tavari Johnson both had four assists.
Akron Zips guard Nate Johnson (34) is all smiles during the second half of the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Nate Johnson led Akron past Nebraska Omaha (2-5) with 18 points and five assists. Gray added 16 points and four assists. Lyles chipped in 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks. Tavari Johnson had 12 points and nine assists. Hardman scored 12 points.
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Tavari Johnson had 17 points, four assists and two steals Friday to lead Akron over Lamar (1-3). Lyles totaled 14 points and 11 rebounds. Gray contributed 10 points, Nate Johnson had nine points, Young added eight points and Scott had seven points.
Akron guard Tavari Johnson, attempting a layup against Kent State last season, scored 21 points Tuesday at Northern Illinois.
Akron hosts Northern Kentucky at 7 p.m. Dec. 3.
"We are a new team, but there is a standard for Akron basketball of winning, especially at home," Gray said Sunday.
Kent State's Mikala Morris grabs a rebound as Akron's Alexus Mobley (left) and Liisa Taponen defend in the first half, Saturday Jan. 20, 2024 in Akron.
Akron women's basketball looks to bounce back after two losses
The Akron women's basketball team (2-4) lost 72-68 Friday at Tennessee State (3-3) and lost 72-65 Sunday at Bellarmine (5-2).
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Akron's Maddie Vejsicky totaled 15 points and six rebounds at Tennessee State. Alexus Mobley scored 14 points and Kam'Ren Rhodes added 11 points.
Mobley scored 18 points against Bellarmine and Liisa Taponen scored 13 points.
Akron's Teniesha Clarke is continuing to improve as a sophomore after she scored a career-high 20 points on Nov. 16 in a 85-74 win over visiting Cleveland State. Rhodes added 18 points, Mobley scored 14 points and Shelbee Brown finished with 12 points.
Akron meets Iona at 4 p.m. Friday in the Colgate Thanksgiving Tournament.
Akron women's swimming & diving team wins Magnus Cup Invitational at Cleveland State
The Akron women's swimming and diving team won the 14-team Magnus Cup Invitational at Cleveland State with 1,728.5 points during the three-day event.
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Akron — the Mid-American Conference champion in 10 of the past 11 years under coach Brian Peresie — set four meet records, one school record and one pool record on Saturday, the final day of competition.
Tulane (1,358.5 points), Xavier (723.5), Bowling Green (704) and Cleveland State (670) rounded out the top five teams.
Abigail Daniel set a meet and Akron school record in the 100-yard individual medley with a time of 54.19 seconds. Zips teammates Rebecca Reid (55.20) and Felicia Klintemar (56.94) finished second and third.
Daniel set a meet record in the 50 butterfly in 24.03 and was on the Akron 400 freestyle relay that set a meet and pool record in 3:18.90. The other relay swimmers were Ada Szwabinska, Madelyn Gatrall and Reid.
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Gatrall set a meet record in the 50-yard backstroke in 24.81.
Gatrall and Daniel went 1-2 in the 100 backstroke Friday with times of 52.80 and 53.52, respectively.
Akron's 200 IM relay won in 1:38.51 with Gatrall, Claire Cox, Daniel and Szwabinska.
Friday, Akron won the 1-meter diving (Elizabeth Noble, 247.9 points) and 400 IM (Daniel, 4:17.69).
Thursday, Akron's 200 freestyle relay won with Daniel, Szwabinska, Gatrall and Aislinn Holder finishing in 1:30.62 to set a pool record.
Daniel added a win in the 200 IM in 1:58.69 and was on the winning 400 medley relay (3:37.52) with Gatrall, Cox and Szwabinska.
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Akron hosts the Zippy Invitational from Dec. 5-8.
Akron Zips center Tyhler Williams celebrates with the Wagon Wheel after beating Kent State, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, in Kent.
Akron set to host Toledo in football finale
Akron (3-8, 2-5 MAC) concludes its 2024 football season Tuesday when it hosts Toledo (7-4, 4-3). Kickoff is 7 p.m.
Ben Finley passed for 250 yards and a touchdown to Jarvis Rush last Tuesday in Akron's 38-17 win at Kent State to retain the Wagon Wheel. Jordon Simmons ran for 113 yards, Charles Kellom ran for 104 yards and a TD, Tahj Bullock ran for two TDs and 35 yards, Adrian Norton had 107 receiving yards and Garrison Smith made 3 of 3 extra points and 3 of 3 field goals.
Akron Zips running back Charles Kellom scores a second-half 2-point conversion, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, in Kent.
Finley has 2,410 passing yards and 14 TDs. Simmons has 664 rushing yards and two TDs and Bullock has 120 rushing yards and seven TDs. Akron's leading receivers are Norton (831 yards, seven TDs), Bobby Golden (440 yards, one TD) and Jake Newell (245 yards, two TDs).
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Akron's leaders in tackles are Bryan McCoy (103), Paul Lewis III (68), Darrian Lewis (67) and Antavious Fish (63).
Akron Zips quarterback Tahj Bullock scores a second-half touchdown against Kent State, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, in Kent.
"Toledo is a traditional blue-blood program [in the MAC]," Akron coach Joe Moorhead said. "Coach [Jason] Candle has done an unbelievable job. Every year, they are a bowl team competing for the championship and sending players to the NFL. Utmost respect for them, but ... we have been able to compete toe-to-toe with every team in the MAC for the greater part of three seasons. This game is not going to be any different. We are going to prepare our [butts] off and we are going to play hard."
Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal .
Akron Zips defensive back Elijah Reed celebrates an interception against Kent State in the final moments, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, in Kent.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Zips sports for the week of Nov. 18-24
