The REPORTER
University opened Pioneer Academic Athletic Conference North Division play with a 64-55 win over Seton Catholic at The U Center on Friday.
Zien Bland led five Trailblazers in double figures with 15 points as University won their 31st consecutive PAAC North contest. Montgomery Holland had 11 points while Bryce Gray, Max McComb and Robert Russell had 10 points each as the Blazers gave head coach Justin Blanding his first win at the helm of the University boys.
A 27-point barrage in the second quarter gave the Trailblazers a 15-point halftime lead. University survived a third quarter surge by Seton Catholic that saw the Cardinals pull within two points before rebuilding the lead to ten early in the fourth quarter. Seton Catholic got no closer than eight points in the last 7:30 of the game.
Making his first career start Holland sparked University to an early 5-2 lead with a driving basket and a three-pointer from the left wing. Seton Catholic built a 15-10 lead late in the opening stanza before Russell’s basket made it 15-12 at the end of the quarter.
University scored the first 10 points of the second quarter to take a lead it never relinquished. Bland tied the game with a three from the right corner before Blake Gray’s layin off a Russell steal put the Blazers up 17-15. Bland hit another three and Cooper Cammack scored for a 22-15 lead.
The Cardinals pulled within 22-20 before University scored the next 14 points. Two three pointers from Holland and one each from Bryce Gray, McComb and Blake Gray sparked the run. University led 39-24 at half time.
Seton’s Mason Harvey got hot in the third quarter, scoring nine of his game-high 19 points including a pair of three pointers. An old fashioned three-point play by Harvey pulled the Cardinal’s within 46-44 with 1:42 left in the quarter. Bland answered for University with his own three point play before Russell scored in the waning seconds to put University up 51-44.
The Blazers opened the fourth quarter with McComb draining a three pointer from the left corner for a 10-point lead at 54-44. Bland, McComb and Bryce and Blake Gray each had fourth quarter baskets to help University hold off the Cardinals down the stretch.
Eight different Trailblazers handed out assists, led by Bryce Gray’s four. Bryce Gray had four of the Blazers’ 10 steals.
University is 1-1 on the season, Seton Catholic falls to 2-2.
The Trailblazers are right back in action Saturday night as they travel to Greenwood Christian and play the Class 1A No. 5 Cougars.
UNIVERSITY 64, SETON CATHOLIC 55
University FG FT TP PF
Bryce Gray 4-11 1-4 10 4
Montgomery Holland 4-7 0-1 11 4
Max McComb 3-8 1-2 10 2
Robert Russell 5-11 0-0 10 0
Cooper Cammack 1-3 0-1 2 3
Jackson Bledsoe 0-1 0-0 0 1
Blake Gray 3-6 0-0 8 0
Zien Bland 5-7 1-1 13 0
Jalen Scott 0-0 0-0 0 0
Totals 25-54 3-9 64 14
Score by Quarters
Seton Catholic 15 9 20 11 – 55
University 12 27 12 13 – 64
University 3-point shooting (11-24) McComb 3-6, Holland 3-4, Bl. Gray 2-4, Bland 2-2, Br. Gray 1-5, Russell 0-3.
University rebounds (25) McComb 5, Russell 5, Bland 4, Holland 4, Cammack 3, Bl. Gray 2, Br. Gray 1, Bledsoe 1.