The Biola men’s basketball team lost to Concordia University in the first round of the Golden State Athletic Conference on March 5, bringing an end to their season.

Biola only shot the ball 26.9 percent from the field, resulting in an 18-35 deficit at the half. The Eagles played a much closer second half, only allowing a difference of nine points, but still lost the game by a score of 54-80.

“I think in the second half they just played better than us,” said senior guard Pierre Zook. “They just outplayed us and we didn’t make a run.”

Biola finished their season with a six game losing streak, resulting in record of 16-15, the same amount of wins and losses as last year. The Eagles also lost in the first round of the GSAC tournament last season.

“It was a disappointing year overall,” said senior forward Mike Kurtz. “We started off really strong, but I think at the end of it in the conference the teams we played were probably some of the best in the country. I have no doubt that someone in our conference is going to win it all.”

Kurtz, Zook and senior forward Colin Bossio played their last game for the Eagles. Bossio and Zook played two seasons for Biola, while Kurtz transferred to the team before his sophomore year.   

“Overall I think it was a successful season,” said Bossio. “Even though we didn’t finish in a way that people say is successful. I thought that for me it was about working hard and being a leader and getting close to a lot of the guys and, I felt like in that aspect, it was a successful season.”

All three seniors emphasized the team comradery as an important aspect of their season. As a basketball team, there is frustration and disappointment in how the season ended, but as a group of individuals, the friendships and team moments are what makes lifelong memories.

“Initially, I think of unreached goals in some ways, and just disappointment,” said Zook. “But at the same time there is also a lot of good things. We’ve had some good wins in conference and out of conference, and we also had some tough losses, but the relationships I’ve been able to develop with my roommates and some other guys on the team have been really key.”

The team expects to have 12 returning members in their roster next season. Among those is sophomore guard Dakari Archer who led the team in points per game, as well as two other members of the starting lineup.

“The season is won in the offseason,” said Kurtz. “So depending on how much work they put in, post guys really getting in the gym, doing their moves, post work, and guards just working on passing the ball and working on driving to the hoop. I think they’ll be fine but, they just need to come together especially in the spring and in the fall and, yeah, that’ll determine how they’ll do next year.”