BUCS BACK ON TRACK WITH WIN
Buccaneers down Lamar State-Port Arthur, 79-72
BRENHAM, Texas – In recent games, Blinn College men’s basketball has lacked energy but against Lamar State College-Port Arthur the Buccaneers were able to find enough energy and effort to earn a 79-72 victory Feb. 25 inside the P.E. Building in Brenham.
“We have been preaching since after the Angelina game that we need to give better energy and effort,” said Blinn head coach Scott Schumacher. “I thought our guys player with better energy and effort and we shared the ball pretty good.”
Lionheart Leslie was a big reason that Blinn was able to maintain that winning energy as he scored 16 of his 20 total points in the second half to help the Buccaneers pull away and improve their conference record to 11-7 and 21-8 overall.
“The first half the energy was there but we really picked it up in the second half,” Leslie said after the game. “As a point guard, I have to learn how to control the tempo of the game.”
Morris Dunnigan also had a solid game with 15 points while Tyler Pate and Vicktor Arnick each finished with 10 points. Jalan McCloud only had five points but did a good job of running through the offense and held his own defensively.
“It feels good because that was a big win,” McCloud said after the game. “We are actually fighting for a bye in the regional tournament.”
Neither team walked away with the momentum in the first half as Blinn held a 26-20 lead after a 3-pointer from Dunnigan with 8:02 left in the first. Dunnigan led the way in the opening half with eight points and scored the final five points for the Buccaneers in the half to help the team to a 40-37 lead at the break.
The back and forth continued in the second half but the one constant was Leslie as he found a rhythm offensively and scored 16 points in the half. A 3-point play by Leslie with 9:28 left gave Blinn a 62-56 lead.
In the closing minutes, Lamar State got within 72-70 but that is when Arnick sank a pair of free throws and Ja’Cardo Hawkins was in position to grab an offensive rebound and put it back in for a 76-70 lead. Blinn was able to hold on for the seven-point victory by holding Lamar State to just a pair of free throws.
Blinn will close out the regular season at Coastal Bend College on Feb. 28 with a game at 6 p.m.
The Blinn College volleyball team received its rings in a ceremony at halftime.
For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.
(Story & photos courtesy: Jake Gordon, Blinn Information)