OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma City Stars men's basketball team fell in the closing seconds 80-76 to Bethel College as sophomore Avery Jackson tied a career-high 32 points in the final home game before the new year.

 
The Stars got off to a rapid start as Avery Jackson helped put OCU ahead 15-10, scoring seven points in the early going of Saturday's contest. After taking a two-point lead of 19-17 with a pair of free throws from James Cloud the OCU offense went cold, allowing Bethel to grab hold of the lead and maintain it for the rest the of the half.  

OCU could only counter six points in nine minutes as Harper Jonas gave the Threshers their biggest lead of the half 33-25. The Stars finally began to pick things back up with a 6-0 run as freshman guard Yorgio Golesis cashed in a layup with 1:47 to play to make it a point game.
  
Coming out of the half Avery Jackson continued to light it up starting with a three-point play to get the Stars going. Throughout the first 10 minutes of the second half both sides traded hands holding the lead up to when OCU took a four-point lead on a three-point play by James Cloud followed by a layup from Parker Jones to put the Stars in front 51-47.  

Bethel College regained the lead with just over 10 minutes to play and never surrendered for the rest of the way. The Threshers lead never exceeded more than five points and OCU had it to within three points or less for the majority of the time.  

The Stars tied things up 73-73 with a 1:39 to play on a layup by Golesis. With the final minutes coming down to the free throws the Stars had multiple chances to take advantage but allowed an offensive rebound on a missed Bethel free throw and gave the ball away down three with a chance to tie.  

One final free throw for Bethel to make it a two-possession game with little time remaining gave the Threshers an 80-76 victory on Saturday afternoon knocking off the Stars in a tight contest to wrap up the home slate in 2023.  

Avery Jackson was on fire from start to finish as the sophomore guard tied a career-high with 32 points while shooting 8-13 from the field and sunk a career-high 15 free throws while cashing in on one of the two OCU threes.  
Freshman Yorgio Golesis came off a career day in the Stars last game against Oklahoma Panhandle State and followed it up by being the only other double-figure scorer for the Stars behind Jackson with 13 points while setting a season-high seven rebounds on 50% shooting on the day.  

Another freshman in James Cloud had a big day for Oklahoma City teaming up with Jackson as the only other Star to cash in a shot from range. Cloud set season-highs in minutes played and points seeing 24 minutes of action while scoring eight points.  

Saturday's contest was only the third time the two schools have met as the win gave Bethel the upper hand in the all-time series holding a record of 2-1 against OCU.  

Oklahoma City will finish out 2023 with a New Year's Eve exhibition against NCAA Division II opponent Lubbock Christian in Lubbock, Texas at 3 PM.