The REPORTER
The University boys dropped their opening game in the Lebanon Holiday Classic, losing a hard fought 65-61 game to Evansville North.
The contest was a two-possession game for 30 of the 32 minutes. The Trailblazers rallied from a 53-46 deficit with four minutes left to knot the game at 53 on a Faisal Mohamud free throw with 2:33 left and again at 55 with 1:44 left on a Mohamud jump shot from the foul line before North ran off seven straight points.
Max McComb made two straight baskets to pull University withing 62-59 with 23 seconds left but the Huskies made enough free throws down the stretch to hold on.
The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair with North leading 16-15. The Blazers held a 21-18 lead early in the second on a pair of Noah Cortez free throws off a DJ Willis steal. University held their last lead of the game at 25-23 on a Mohamud bucket. North closed the half with a 30-28 lead after the Blazers’ Peter Morales hit a three pointer from the left corner with two seconds remaining.
The teams traded baskets throughout the third quarter with University forcing one tie at 33 and North led 43-39 entering the final quarter.
Mohamud finished with a team high 19, including nine in the fourth quarter before fouling out in the final minute. McComb had 18 and Cortez 10.
North won the game at the charity stripe, making 15 of 23, while University was 7 of 8 at the line.
The loss was fifth in a row for University after two season-opening wins. The Huskies are 3-4.
University will play twice in the Consolation bracket on Saturday. University will play Faith Christian at Noon and will conclude play against either Perry Meridian or Indianapolis Metropolitan at 3:30 p.m.
