REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Basketball team (1-0) opened up their 2023-24 season with a 112-82 win inside Currier Gym against the University of Puget Sound (UPS) on Friday evening as first-year Jhace Boston (Bakersfield, CA) and junior transfer Kendrick Currey (Manteca, CA) combined for 60 points.  

The game started with Boston getting into the paint and knocking down a jumper for the first points of the season. Seconds later the Loggers tied the game at two with a layup in what would be the lone tie the entire game as Boston would knock down a three off a Robert Power (Pacific Palisades, CA) assist :17 seconds later and the Bulldogs never looked back.

UPS would hang tough with the Bulldogs as they pulled within three, 15-12, with a made three pointer, but a Sam Abere (Lake Oswego, OR) assisted, Boston layup started a 7-0 run for the Maroon and Grey as they took their first double-digit lead of the game, 22-12, with 12:36 left in the half.

The largest lead of the game came with 7:15 on the clock after Cameron Brown (Bakersfield, CA) hit a pair of free throws to make it a 19-point differential, 40-21. Over those last seven minutes the offense stalled, scoring only seven points as UPS finished the half on a 20-7 run as it was a six-point game, 47-41 at intermission.  

In the second half the Bulldogs came out firing on all cyclinders, scoring the first seven points as they extended their lead to 13, 54-41, in less than two minutes. During that stretch Currey had four points and Boston hit a three while Khyree Armstead (Mountlake Terrace, WA) had an assist.

With 13:34 left in the game, the Loggers picked up three free throws on a three-point attempt, and they converted on all of them to get within 11, 67-56. The Bulldogs, though, were able to respond and score fifteen unanswered as they led by their largest margin of 26, 82-56.

During that run Boston had four points, Currey had two, Cameron Joseph (Fairfield, CA) had five points, Lucas Gordon (San Marcos, CA) hit a three, and Abere converted on a free throw. The rest of the way the closest UPS ever got was 29 as they Bulldogs won their season opener by 30.

Boston finished with a career high 36 points (14-19 FG, 7-9 3PT), 10 rebounds, and two assists in 28 minutes. Currey added 24 points (10-18 FG, 4-4 FT), two rebounds, and two assists off the bench. Joseph had 16 points (4-9 FG, 3-6 3PT) and Brown added 11 points (4-7 FG) and five rebounds. Gordon tied for a team-high with 10 rebounds, which ties a career-high.

Redlands is off Saturday before hosting No. 20 East Texas Baptist University on Sunday, November 12 at 6:00 p.m. inside Currier Gym.