The University boys lost a 16-point lead in just nine minutes Saturday night at Cardinal Ritter, but bounced back to outscore the Raiders 24-9 down the stretch and take home a 73-58 win.
The Trailblazers one-two punch of senior Camden Brown (26 points) and junior Larry Pierce (23 points) again led the way as University improved their record to 8-4.
University held a 36-20 lead with one minute to go in the first half and led 38-24 at the break. Cardinal Ritter came out on fire in the third quarter, hitting six three-pointers, including some from far behind the arc to cut University’s lead to 49-47 after three.
The Raiders scored 20 seconds in to the fourth quarter to tie the game at 49. The Trailblazers took over from that point, going on a 14-2 run to regain control of the game. Sabien Cain scored at the rim to put University in front for good with 7:25 remaining. Mitchell Martin added a rebound basket for a 53-49 lead. After Ritter scored, Martin added a three from the right wing. Brown scored for a 58-51 lead and Pierce scored off a Cain assist to force a Ritter timeout with University in front 61-51.
Brown scored again before the Raiders broke a four-minute scoreless streak with a three pointer to cut the lead to 63-54. Pierce made two foul shots with 2:11 remaining, Cain and Brown added field goals and University coasted home.
“I thought we played pretty well” said University coach Brandon Lafferman. “It was our best offensive game of the season. I can’t say enough about the complete team effort tonight. All five starters were great and Kasey Ash-Simpson and Nate Jeffrey gave us major production off the bench. Mitchell Martin was solid offensively for us, finishing plays and creating some great opportunities for his teammates to score.”
“Camden Brown and Larry Pierce did a great job scoring at the rim and from the three and I thought freshman Sabien Cain handled himself with a lot of maturity tonight, especially in the fourth quarter” concluded Lafferman.
The teams traded baskets early in the game before a Brown dunk put University on top 6-5. Pierce scored University’s final six points of the quarter on three baskets, two assisted by Brown and the Blazers led 13-7 after the first.
University moved the ball well early in the second quarter. Their first four baskets were assisted. Brown had three of those baskets (including two three pointers) on two Pierce assists and one from Martin. Matt Jones had a three pointer off a Brown assist. Brown scored 13 points in the second quarter.
Pierce led University in the third quarter with eight points, the last two coming on a left-handed baby hook shot in the lane. Brown had eight fourth-quarter points and Pierce had seven.
University will be off until Friday when they travel to Richmond to face Seton Catholic in a key PAAC North contest. Ritter has a 4-6 record and opens play in the Indianapolis City tournament Tuesday night against Herron.
UNIVERSITY 73, CARDINAL RITTER 58
University FG FT TP PF
Matt Jones 1 1-2 4 1
Larry Pierce 9 4-4 23 3
Camden Brown 10 4-8 26 2
Sabien Cain 3 2-3 8 3
Mitchell Martin 5 0-0 11 1
Kasey Ash-Simpson 0 0-0 0 3
Nate Jeffrey 0 0-2 0 0
Kahmi Bradley 0 1-2 1 1
Totals 28 12-21 73 14
Score by Quarters
University 13 25 11 24 – 73
Cardinal Ritter 7 17 23 11 – 58
University 3-pointers (5) Brown 2, Jones 1, Pierce 1, Martin 1.