ANDERSON – Joe Martin and Max Greenamoyer put on a 3-point shooting show Saturday night as the Class 2A No. 16 University boys defeated Liberty Christian 70-43 to remain undefeated in four contests.
Martin scored a career high 24 points. The 6-2 senior made four 3-point shots and was 8 of 9 at the foul line. Greenamoyer had six three pointers en route to a career-high 22 points. Korey Ash-Simpson was the third Trailblazer in double figures with 10 points.
University never trailed in the game and took the lead for good at 5-2 when Martin hit his first 3-pointer off an assist from Greenamoyer. The Trailblazers used a 10-4 spurt in the last two minutes of the quarter to open up a 21-12 lead after one. Greenamoyer had 10 points in the quarter with Martin adding seven.
University quickly pushed the lead to 29-14 early in the second quarter and still held a 10-point lead at 34-24 before a Liberty three pointer cut the lead to seven. Matt Jones made a pair of foul shots before another Liberty three pointer pulled the Lions within 36-30. Ash-Simpson scored on a strong move at the rim with 18 seconds before Sam Mervis stole the ball and drove for a lay-in with eight seconds left to restore a 10-point University lead at the break, 40-30.
The Lions scored the first two points of the third quarter before University ran off the next nine points with Mervis triggering all four baskets. Mervis had assists on another lay-in by Ash-Simspon, a Greenamoyer three pointer and another Ash-Simpson basket. Mervis had a “hockey assist” on the Blazers fourth straight basket, finding Greenamoyer downcourt who passed to Jacob Sager for a layin.
The nine-point run put University ahead 49-32 and the Blazers were never threatened. University led 58-41 after three and held Liberty Christian to just two points in the fourth quarter.
Coach Brandon Lafferman was pleased with the adjustments his team made tonight. “I liked how our team came out in the second half. We made a few adjustments. Korey (Ash-Simpson) was really good tonight and Joe (Martin) and Max (Greenamoyer) did a great job on both ends of the floor, making shots and defending and taking us ahead in the second half. I was very impressed with Liberty Christian’s energy and performance. They played really well in the first half and handled our pressure.”
Martin led the Trailblazers with five rebounds. Mervis had seven assists and four steals and Greenamoyer had four assists and four steals.
University is off until next weekend before playing a pair of tough games. The Trailblazers host Class 4A Pendleton Heights Friday night at the U Center before travelling to Grace College in Winona Lake to participate in the Champions of Character Classic. University will face Class 2A No. 9 Westview at 6 p.m. The Warriors are led by Indiana All-Star candidate Charlie Yoder, who led Westview to the regional championship last season and the semi-state in 2018.
UNIVERSITY 70, LIBERTY CHRISTIAN 43
University FG FT TP PF
Sam Mervis 2-2 0-0 4 3
Max Greenamoyer 8-14 0-0 22 2
Camden Brown 0-0 0-0 0 2
Jacob Sager 1-3 0-2 2 4
Joe Martin 6-10 8-9 24 1
Aaron Stallings 0-0 0-0 0 2
Larry Pierce 3-3 0-1 6 0
Korey Ash-Simpson 5-6 0-0 10 2
Matt Jones 0-2 2-3 2 2
Kasey Ash-Simpson 0-0 0-1 0 1
Faizan Eskar 0-0 0-0 0 0
Totals 25-40 10-16 70 19
Score by Quarters
University 21 19 18 12 – 70
Liberty Christian 12 18 11 2 – 43
University 3-point shooting (10-21) Greenamoyer 6-12, Martin 4-6, Jones 0-2, Ko. Ash-Simpson 0-1.
University rebounds (25) Martin 5, Jones 4, Brown 4, Pierce 3, Ko. Ash Simpson 3, Mervis 2, Sager 2, Stallings 1, Eskar 1.