By RICHIE HALL
CARMEL – The University boys basketball team finished its regular season Thursday with an exciting Senior Night win.
The Trailblazers beat Phelan Academy 64-55 at the U Center. The game was played at a fast, hectic pace during all four quarters and was even in the first half. University made a run in the third quarter to get a lead and held off the Falcons in the fourth.
“We’re not in our regular routine, we have the Senior Night stuff,” said University coach Justin Blanding. “When we get out of our routine, we can get a little uncharacteristic. We settled back in pretty well.”
McComb
The Trailblazers’ first run came in the first quarter, a 6-0 spurt that got University ahead 8-4. Faisal Mohamud made two free throws, then senior Max McComb scored two layins, the second off a Mohamud steal.
Phelan came back to tie the game at 10-10 by the end of the first quarter. The second period was an equally tight quarter, with the Falcons leading 26-22 late. The ‘Blazers used another 6-0 run to lead 28-26; Mohamud scored off another steal, then a McComb basket and Cooper Cammack layin pushed University ahead.
Blake Gray finished the half with a 3-pointer, giving the Trailblazers a 31-27 lead at the break. Phelan Academy tied the game at 33-33 early in the third quarter, after which University used a 9-2 run to take control of the game.
McComb went 4-for-4 from the free-throw line during the spurt, and also made a steal that Cammack turned into a layin. Gray finished the run with his third 3 of the game. Senior Zien Bland also made a 3 in the quarter.
Bland
“We’re such a good shooting team that when shots aren’t going in, we get deflated,” said Blanding. “But once we start making them, then we turn into a different team. So, we were fortunate enough to get it going at the right time.”
Gray drained his third triple of the game later in the quarter. He was also part of an 8-0 run that bridged the third and fourth periods, scoring three points to finish the third and put University up 51-42.
McComb made a traditional three-point play with 6:30 left in the fourth to get the ‘Blazers a double-digit lead, then made two more free throws to put University ahead 56-42. The Falcons were within 57-48 with less than three minutes left, but the Trailblazers had one more run left, a 7-1 spurt that put the game out of reach.
McComb finished the game with a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds. Gray totaled 15 points and blocked two shots, while Mohamud scored 10 points and made six steals. McComb had four steals. Josh Henderson collected six rebounds and Cammack had five.
University is 14-9 and travels to Park Tudor on Tuesday for Class 2A Sectional 42 play. The Trailblazers take on Covenant Christian at 6 p.m.
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