GREENFIELD – The University Trailblazers advance to a regional final for the first time since 2013, but a 13-2 run by Eastern Hancock to open the second half proved decisive as the Royals ended University’s season by a 54-47 count at the Class 2A Greenfield-Central regional on Saturday.
University controlled the first half of the championship game, taking a 4-3 lead with 6:32 left in the first quarter and the Blazers did not trail for the remainder of the half. Sabien Cain scored eight first quarter points and Larry Pierce had four as University built a 17-10 lead and led 17-12 at the end of the quarter.
Eastern Hancock scored the first five points of the second quarter to tie the game at 17, but Nate Jeffrey put University back on top with a basket. Robert Russell hit a three pointer and two buckets by Pierce put the Blazers up 26-20. University stretched their lead to 31-23 when Cain hit a three pointer off a Kahmi Bracey assist and Jeffrey found Pierce for a layin. The Royals added a three pointer to close within 31-26 at the half.
Eastern Hancock scored the first three baskets of the third quarter to take a 32-21 lead before Steven Scott got University back in front at 33-32 on a rebound field goal with 5:00 left in the third. It would turn out to be the Blazers last lead of the game. Landon O’Neal put the Royals ahead with 4:38 left and Eastern Hancock scored the next five points for a 39-33 lead. Cain hit a three pointer after a University timeout, but the Royals scored the last five points of the period including a buzzer beating three by O’Neal to take a 44-39 lead.
Cain got the Blazers back within 44-41 on a steal and lay-in two minutes in to the final period, but Eastern Hancock began to bleed the clock. O’Neal hit a big three pointer from left wing with 2:46 to put the Royals up 49-41. Seth Hogg eventually knocked down a three pointer with 60 seconds left to get University within 49-44, but Eastern Hancock hit their free throws in the last minute to take the win.
Cain finished with 16 points for University, while Pierce added 10, all in the first half. O’Neal had a game high 24 for Eastern Hancock, with Jacob Spaulding adding 17.
University coach Brandon Lafferman was disappointed in the outcome, but proud of his team’s season. “When they went on their run and the crowd really got going, our youth showed a little bit. We didn’t do a great job of coming back and getting back in the flow of the game. We missed some open shots in the fourth quarter, that if they fall it might be a different outcome. I’m really proud of my kids on a great run and a fantastic season. Nobody thought we would get this far and our guys did a great job.”
Lafferman continued with praise for the victorious Royals. “Eastern Hancock is a very, very good team. They executed really well, they’re coached well. I was really impressed with their guards and they did a fantastic job adjusting. We were trying to take the three and they did a good job getting in the paint and making some tough shots”
University advanced to the championship game with a 56-49 win over a scrappy Triton Central squad. The Trailblazers dominated the second and third quarters of the game, building a 15-point lead entering the final eight minutes, before holding off a furious Tigers comeback attempt.
Cain and Pierce each had 17 points to lead University.
The Blazers jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead on a Russell three pointer and a Peirce lay-in off a fast break assist from Andre Ozlowski that started with a Cain steal. Triton Central bounced back and built a 14-9 lead before Cain scored and Hogg hit a three pointer off a Pierce pass to pull University within 16-14 at the quarter.
Triton Central scored a basket just 12 seconds in to the second period, but University put on the defensive pressure and settled in to the game offensively. The Blazers outscored the Tigers 13-2 the rest of the half. Cain hit a three pointer from the top of the key and then scored on a drive to the basket to give University a lead. The Tigers took a 20-19 lead with 4:20 left in the half and the teams were scoreless for the next two minutes.
Ozlowski put University up for good at 21-20 before the defense generated another bucket. Hogg made a steal, fed the ball to Jeffrey who hit Bracey for a layin. Pierce added to more baskets before halftime including a nifty move to the hoop for an easy bucket with four seconds left and the Blazers led 27-20 at halftime.
Hogg stretched the University scoring run to 10 with a pair of foul shots early in the third quarter. Pierce added a basket and then the defense struck again. Cain blocked a shot, Russell corralled the ball and threw ahead to Cain for an easy bucket and a 33-22 advantage. Pierce scored six straight points to put the lead to 15 at 39-24. Jeffrey drove past his defender for a layin and Russell beat the buzzer with a jumper in the lane and University held a 43-28 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Triton Central started getting back in the game, cutting the lead to single digits at 46-38 on an old fashioned three-point play. Cain scored before another Tiger three point play, but Ozlowski restored the lead to 50-41 with an emphatic dunk off a Cain assist. Pierce added a basket off a full court inbound pass from Hogg, but Triton Central scored the next five points to pull within 52-49 with 1:35 to play.
Cain made two foul shots with 1:33 left and University’s defense stiffened and held Triton Central without a good look the rest of the game. Russell added two foul shots with 10 seconds left to make the final 56-49.
Eastern Hancock (22-5) advances to the Seymour semi-state where they will play Providence (19-6).
University bows out with a 16-10 mark. The Trailblazers won their first sectional since 2018 and won a 2A sectional for the first time. The morning win was University’s first regional game win since 2013. The Blazers won their fifth consecutive PAAC championship. Seniors Pierce and Jeffrey will graduate, but University returns the other seven members of their rotation.
EASTERN HANCOCK 54, UNIVERSITY 47
University FG FT TP PF
Robert Russell 2 0-0 5 3
Sabien Cain 6 0-1 16 3
Andre Ozlowski 0 0-0 0 0
Larry Pierce 5 0-2 10 3
Seth Hogg 2 0-0 6 4
Kahmi Bracey 2 0-0 6 1
Steven Scott 1 0-0 2 0
Nate Jeffrey 1 0-0 2 2
Jackson Bledsoe 0 0-0 0 0
Totals 19 0-3 47 16
Score by Quarters
Eastern Hancock 12 14 18 10 – 54
University 17 14 8 8 – 47
University 3-pointers (9) Cain 4, Bracey 2, Hogg 2, Russell 1.
A boxscore for the first game was unavailable at press time.