Fullerton, CA — FULLERTON, Calif.- The Royals drop their fourth straight game after a tough loss to Vanguard, 62-61. In the first half, the Royals were held to 16 points, while the Lions scored 29. The Lions started the game with an 11-3 scoring run to grab an early lead. Hope had trouble putting the ball in the hoop, only shooting 26 percent from the field and 18 percent from the three-point range. The Royals were able to close the gap by a little in the middle of the first half, but the Lions went on 11-4 scoring run to end the half at 29-16. The Royals had 10 turnovers in the first half, that the lions were able to take advantage of. With two minutes left in the game, Eric Toles (SR/Sacramento, CA) was fouled on a fast-break layup and converted a three-point play by making his free throw to put the Royals within 9 points. Toles would do it again as he made a three with over a minute left to put the score at 61-54. After a called jump ball, the possession arrow favored the Royals, and Jonah Underwood (SR/San Jose, CA) posted up in the paint, scored, and got fouled. Underwood made this free throw to make it a two-possession game. With both teams in the double bonus, the Royals fouled Vanguard to send them to the free-throw line. After two , missed free throws by the Lions, the Royals converted on the next possession to pull within two. The Royals fouled again and the Lions made one of two, to put the Royals down three. Reggie Varner got fouled on the next play and made both free throws to make it a one-point game. With 13.4 seconds left on the clock, the Royals fouled Vanguard again and they missed both free throws to give the Royals a chance for a buzzer-beater. The Royals had a chance to win it at the end but a misdirected pass resulted in the Royals losing control of the ball and not being able to get a shot up before the final buzzer. The Lions took the game 62-61. The Royals gave the Lions a good run by outscoring them 45-33 in the second half. Eric Toles led the offense with 29 points, being the only Royal to score in double digits. The Royals will travel to Northern California to take on GSAC opponents, Menlo and William Jessup on Jan. 30th and Feb. 1st.