BUCS SWEEP ON “ADAMS ANGELS DAY”

Buccaneer Women attack the basket in second half to beat Paris, 70-56

Buccaneer Men fight off second half adversity to beat Paris, 90-80

 

BUC WOMEN

Blinn levels Region XIV record at 2-2 after victory

BRENHAM, Texas – Blinn College women’s basketball stopped settling for outside jumpers and took the ball to the basket in the second half to help pull out a 70-56 victory over Paris Junior College Saturday afternoon inside the P.E. Building.2015-16 BUC WBB PARIS GRAY

The Buccaneers held a slim lead at the half but settled for too many jump shots but that changed in the second half as Blinn grabbed the momentum by driving for easier shots in the key. A strong third quarter where Blinn outscored Paris 24-15 helped the Buccaneers improve to 8-3 overall and 2-2 in Region XIV play.

“I was proud of the effort because it is hard to play conference games in the first semester,” said Blinn coach Jeff Jenkins. “If we shoot bad and don’t defend than we can get in trouble so we have to do the other things well.”

Ekiya Gray was a big difference in the second half as she took her defender off the dribble several times in the second half and ended the game with 16 points.

“I thought this was good for us coming off of a loss,” Gray said, after the game. “We just had to come and try to redeem ourselves.”

Jeliah Preston also scored 16 points as her outside shot was working well. Bryanna Taylor was able to score 12 points while Penina Faumui chipped in with 10 points in the win.

The first quarter was a game of shifting momentum as Blinn scored the first nine points and Paris countered back by scoring 11 in a row. It was Blinn taking the lead at the end of the first by scoring the final 10 points to take a 19-11 lead after one with six points from Ebony Parker.

Paris came out with more pressure on the perimeter in the second quarter and get within two points but Blinn was able to finish the half strong. Taylor hit a pair of 3-pointers in the quarter and Preston hit a layup with less than a minute in the half to give Blinn a 29-24 lead at the break.

Even though Blinn held a lead at the half, it wasn’t playing its best basketball but that changed in the third quarter. The Buccaneers started the third on a 12-2 run thanks to Gray and Faumui to grab a 41-26 lead. Paris recovered slightly in the third but with Gray scoring 10 in the third the Buccaneers held a 53-39 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

“I really think Ekiya can be one of our best players if she decides that she is going to take over the game,” Jenkins said. “Nobody can guard her because she is 6-foot-1, can handle the ball and passes well.”

Blinn was able to hold off Paris in the fourth as both teams scored 17 points as the Buccaneers cruised to a 14-point victory.

Blinn will travel to face McLennan Community College on Monday, Dec. 7 at 5:30 for a non-conference game.

2015-16 BUC WBB PARIS ANGELS

This game was also Adam’s Angels Ministry fundraiser game in which Blinn raises money and awareness for Adam’s Angels. Adam’s Angels Ministry is called to provide care and comfort for families that are in a battle against childhood cancer. The fundraising effort is part of Blinn’s annual Adopt-a-Charity program in which all Blinn athletic programs dedicate a portion of their gate proceeds towards a charity. For more information on Adam’s Angels Ministry visit www.adamsangelsministry.org.

BUC MEN

Blinn improves to 2-1 in Region XIV play

BRENHAM, Texas – Blinn College men’s basketball faced much more adversity in the second half than it did in the first half but still was able to hold on for a 90-80 victory over Paris Junior College Saturday evening inside the P.E. Building.

Morris Dunnigan
Morris Dunnigan

The Buccaneers led by 14 at the half and looked to be on their way to an easy victory but Paris fought back to make the game much closer. Blinn fought through the adversity in the second half to improve to 10-1 overall and 2-1 in Region XIV play.

“I love my guys on my basketball team,” said Blinn coach Scott Schumacher. “We had two great days of practice to get zeroed in and focused and that showed in tonight’s game.”

Morris Dunnigan stepped up in the second half with 18 of his 28 points coming in the final 20 minutes to lead the Buccaneers.

Corey Henderson had a solid first half and helped to build the big lead and ended with 19 points.

“The bench really kept us going and staying into the game when Paris made that run in the second half,” Henderson said, after the game. “I just tried to keep moving on offense even without the ball to make it hard for them to guard me.”

James Harrison chipped in 15 points and Victor Dukes ended with 14 points in the victory.

Neither team could get any separation early on until Blinn rattled off 10 consecutive points to take a 31-21 lead with 6:07 left in the half. Henderson scored 13 points in the first half and Harrison and Dunnigan each scored 10.

Blinn ended the first half on a 10-2 run that was started with a driving layup by LaKendric Hyson that gave the Buccaneers a comfortable 45-31 lead at the break.

Paris came out in the second half with a lot of defensive pressure and the Blinn lead quickly shrunk. With a 16-2 run, Paris got within 52-51 with 13:45 to play but Blinn did not let Paris take the lead.

“I thought our guys came out and punched them in the mouth in the first half and they came out and punched us in the mouth and we hung right in there,” Schumacher said.

Facing the adversity head on, the Buccaneers built the lead back up with the help of Dunnigan and his 18 points in the half. Dunnigan hit a layup to give Blinn a 68-61 lead with 8:35 left.

Probably the biggest shot for Dunnigan came with Blinn inbounding the ball with one second on the shot clock and Dunnigan hit a falling away prayer 3-pointer from the elbow to put Blinn in control 86-71 with 2:57 left.

From there Blinn was able to maintain its led in the second half as Dukes also chipped in 10 points in the half to give Blinn the 10-point victory.

Blinn will next travel to face Panola College on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.

(Story & photos courtesy, Jake Gordon, Blinn Information)

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