Written By Daniel Berk, Assistant Director of Communication Services
The 14,262 fans at McKale Center were starting to get nervous; a little uneasy at a crucial point of a close game between Arizona and Fresno State.
Then senior Gabe York made it all better.
Leading 71-64, Arizona allowed Fresno State to score six straight points and pull within one point at 71-70 with 2:57 to play. But York, coming off a sterling performance at Gonzaga on Saturday where he scored 18 points and added six rebounds, stepped up and let his experience and talent take over.
First, the senior hit a 3-pointer off a pass from Parker Jackson-Cartwright to extend Arizona's lead to four. Less than 40 seconds later, York took charge again. The senior from West Covina, California, hit another deep ball with 2:13 to play to make the score 77-70. He provided a flare for the dramatic with the shot, banking it in off the backboard.
“When that went in, it was like we were due for something like that,” head coach Sean Miller said smiling.
York still wasn't done.
After two missed free throws from Dusan Ristic, the Wildcats got the ball back and York drove through the Fresno State defense and fought his way to the rim where he finished a layup in traffic and was fouled. It gave him eight straight points at a critical time of the game for the Wildcats.
York's layup gave Arizona a nine-point lead with 1:27 to play and the Wildcats built their lead from there finishing with an 85-72 advantage over the Bulldogs.
The senior's final stat line was 12 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and no turnovers in 36 minutes. With the game tight and starting point guard Kadeem Allen having to leave with an injury in the second half, York played all but one minute in the second, despite being “banged up a little” according to Miller.
The coach was pleased with his senior's game afterward and emphasized that a box score will never tell the whole story with York.
“The two words we use with Gabe are complete player,” Miller said after the victory. “Getting him to lock in on defense, passing the ball more, he's done that. He can play two or three positions in a game like Nick Johnson. He's doing everything for our team. You always expect someone who has been through as many big games as Gabe has to contribute as a senior.
“His numbers are not reflective of what he did for the team tonight.”
York's presence wasn't just felt in the second half. Following a Fresno State 3-pointer with less than a minute left in the first half, the Bulldogs took a five-point lead. But after a turnover, York hit a layup as time expired to pull the Wildcats within three points and give McKale Center even more life. The bucket flipped the momentum in the game with the Wildcats scored the first seven points of the half to take a four-point lead.
“I think (York's basket) was big because they had the ball last and turned it over. We were fortunate to let Gabe get out for a run out, kill their momentum, and give some to us for the second half,” fellow senior Ryan Anderson said postgame.
York and the Wildcats will return to action Sunday night when Missouri travels to McKale Center for a 6 p.m. (MST) tip.
