HOOPS: BUCCANEER WOMEN WIN/MEN FALL SATURDAY

Gray hits last-second shot to send Blinn Women past Jacksonville, 78-76

Slow start dooms Blinn Men at Jacksonville, 95-71

WOMEN

Ebony Parker hits nine 3-pointers to pace the Buccaneers

JACKSONVILLE, Texas – Blinn College women’s basketball has been performing well in tight games recently and Ekiya Gray was able to keep that going with a last-second basket to give the Buccaneers a 78-76 victory over Jacksonville College Saturday afternoon in Jacksonville.

“This game was kind of similar to the Kilgore and Panola games,” said Blinn coach Jeff Jenkins. “We have been making plays down the stretch and that helps us because there haven’t been any easy games in conference.”

The late basket helps Blinn improve its record to 13-6 overall and 5-4 in Region XIV play.

Gray hit the last-second shot but it was Ebony Parker pacing the Buccaneers with 29 points coming off of nine 3-pointers. Gray and Jeliah Preston did finish with 14 points apiece while Penina Faumui scored eight points in the win.

Blinn came out on the road and played well and took a 23-15 lead after the first quarter. That lead shrunk in the second quarter as Jacksonville fought back to get within 38-34 of the Buccaneers at the half.

Blinn played a little better in the third quarter and took a 57-50 lead heading into the fourth quarter. That lead disappeared down the stretch as Jacksonville tied the game up at 76-76 with seven seconds left.

That is when Gray took the ball and dribbled into the paint and made the game-winning shot for the Buccaneers.

Blinn will be on the road again Wednesday, Jan. 20 against Panola College at 5:30 p.m.

MEN

Jacksonville jumps on Buccaneers right from the beginning

JACKSONVILLE, Texas – Blinn College men’s basketball got off to a rough start and was unable to recover as Jacksonville held court with a 95-71 victory Saturday evening in Jacksonville.

The Buccaneers had to come out with better energy on the road and came out flat in a loss that lowers their overall record to 13-5 and 4-5 in Region XIV.

Link Kabadyundi led Blinn with 16 points and was also in double figures in rebounds for the double-double. Corey Henderson scored 13 points while Morris Dunnigan and John Dewey had 11 apiece.

Blinn had a tough time making shots in the opening half and fell behind Jacksonville 50-30 at the half. The game never got much better in the second half as Jacksonville was mostly able to maintain its 20-point cushion to cruise to the home victory.

Blinn will look to get back on track after its third straight loss. The Buccaneers will face San Jacinto College-Central Wednesday, Jan. 20 at home at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com

(Story courtesy, Jake Gordon, Blinn Information)