BUC MEN PULL AWAY FROM COASTAL BEND, 85-66
Vicktor Arnick scores 20 of 29 points in first half to lead Blinn College
BRENHAM, Texas – Vicktor Arnick scored 20 points in an impressive first half for Blinn College men’s basketball and then a more balanced attack took over in the second half as the Buccaneers earned an 85-66 victory over Coastal Bend College Feb. 4 in the P.E. Building in Brenham.
“Vicktor Arnick’s game offensively really helped us out in the first half,” said Blinn head coach Scott Schumacher. “I thought our guys did a really good job of guarding Coastal Bend because what they did was try to space us out and we didn’t let them drive in too often.”
Arnick scored half of the team’s points in the opening half for Blinn to give the Buccaners a 10-point lead and then team spread out the points after that. Arnick finished with 29 points on the night in the victory.
“After I hit my first 3-pointer I felt like the basket was wide open like a big pool,” Arnick said after the game. “My teammates did a good job of finding me so all I had to do was get my feet ready to shoot.”
Lionheart Leslie helped to pitch in 19 points with 12 coming in the second half. Jalan McCloud was able to finish with 13 points in the victory.
Blinn came out clicking after the opening tip as it scored the first seven points and built a 20-7 lead after a Leslie 3-point play with 14:11 left in the half. Coastal Bend made attempts to cut into the lead but the shooting of Arnick kept Coastal Bend down.
Arnick hit five shots from behind the 3-point line and scored exactly half of Blinn’s points in the opening half as his 20 helped lift the Buccaneers to a 40-30 lead at the break.
It was a more balanced attack in the second half and that worked well as Blinn opened the second on an 11-2 run to build up a 51-32 lead. Ja’Cardo Hawkins came out strong in the second half and made some buckets and totaled nine points in the half.
A pair of free throws from Arnick gave Blinn a commanding 71-47 lead with 8:58 left in the game. Coastal Bend tried to make the game a little closer but Blinn was able to close out the half with the help of 12 points coming from Leslie to come away with a 19-point victory.
Blinn will hit the road on Feb. 7 to face Jacksonville College at 4 p.m.
For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.
(Story & photos courtesy Jake Gordon, Blinn Information)