BLINN MEN’S BASKETBALL WRAP UP BLUE BELL CLASSIC WITH A WIN
Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information
The Blinn College men’s basketball team turned a first-half deficit into a blowout victory with a pair of momentum-altering runs, resulting in a 101-78 triumph over Dallas College Cedar Valley on Saturday.
The Buccaneers (5-0) closed out the two-day Blue Bell Classic with two wins at the Kruse Center in Brenham, Texas.
“I thought our guys hung in there early and picked their spots to help us come back,” Blinn head coach Scott Schumacher said. “We hit shots when we needed to and our defense improved as the game went on because our guys did exactly what we asked them to do.”
The two teams went back and forth for most of the first half before the Suns pulled ahead 44-41 with 2:40 remaining.
From there, the game pendulum swung permanently in favor of the Bucs, who proceeded to reel off an 11-3 run.
Freshman guard Kendarius Johnson hit a pair of free throws to get Blinn going, and a tip-in from sophomore forward Nolan Aigberadion put his team ahead for good. Freshman guard Connor Sprattley then added a pair of makes from the charity stripe before freshman guard Desmeon Jones stole a pass and drove to the basket for a bucket and a foul. Jones made the free throw for a 50-44 edge.
After a Cedar Valley 3-pointer, Jones scored on a layup just before the buzzer to give Blinn a 52-47 halftime cushion.
“The game came down to who wanted it more,” Jones said. “In the first half we were going back and forth, but in the second half it came down to who wanted it and who was going to make enough plays to win the game, and today that was us.”
The Buc staged another crucial move to open the second half.
After the Suns knocked down a shot to pull within 52-49, freshman guard/forward Ian Sedah buried a layup to ignite a string of 10 straight points for the hosts.
Jones drained two free throws, Sprattley recorded a steal and scored on a layup in transition before adding a pull-up jumper, and Jones closed the run with one of the most exciting plays of the game.
Near midcourt, Jones knocked a Suns pass away and tipped the loose ball into the air. He out-ran his defender and caught the air ball mid-stride before soaring to the basket for a layup and a 62-49 lead.
The Bucs maintained control from there, as Cedar Valley managed to trim its deficit to 10 just once before Blinn stepped on the gas for good.
Freshman guard and Brenham native Elijah Ferguson gave Blinn its biggest lead at 25 points when he drilled a 3 for a 100-75 advantage.
The Bucs produced a team-centric offensive performance with five players in double figures. Fourteen players scored at least one point for Blinn.
“That’s a product of us moving the ball well and guys getting good looks and taking the right shots,” Schumacher said. “Always a great day when you can get all of your guys off the bench and a ton of guys get the opportunity to score. I’m really happy for everyone.”
The Bucs shot 48% for the game (40 for 84) and out-rebounded the Suns 50-28.
Sprattley had a team-high 20 points with six assists, five rebounds and three steals. Jones followed with 15 points, six assists, and eight rebounds. Sophomore guard Dashawn Ceaser tallied 12 points; freshman forward Anthony Williams chipped in 11 points; Johnson finished with 11 points and eight rebounds; and Sedah had seven points and a team-best 10 boards.
Blinn’s season continues at the three-day Wrangler Shootout, starting with a showdown against New Mexico Military Institute at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20, in Odessa, Texas. The Bucs take on No. 18 Midland College at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21, and No. 15 Odessa College at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22.