REDLANDS, Calif. – A 62-point first half led the University of Redlands Men's Basketball team (1-0) to a season opening win against Schreiner University Friday night.
At the 5:31 mark of the first half it was only a four-point lead, 36-32, after a Mountaineer three. But a Dayvon Gates (Carson, CA) pair of free throws, an Omari Ferguson (Chicago, Ill.) made three off a Jake Hlywiak (Valencia, CA) assist, followed by a Jhace Boston (Bakersfield, CA) finish on the fastbreak gave UR an 11-point lead, 43-32.
A Boston made free throw with 2:39 to play in the half put the Bulldogs up by their largest margin of 23, 58-35. The Mountaineers, though, would end the half with some momentum as they scored 11 of the final 15 points to draw within 16.
Lucas Gordon (San Marcos, CA) opened the second half with an offensive rebound, which he turned into a jumper in the paint. A few minutes later Boston got a steal and finished the fastbreak with a dunk to help the Maroon and Grey re-establish the 20-point lead.
Up 19 with just over 13 minutes to play, the Bulldogs put the game away with a 12-2 run that included three points for Gordon, Chozen Amadi (Dallas, TX), and Donovan Ware (Palmdale, CA).
Redlands led by 20 or more up until the five minute mark when Schreiner made it a 15-point game with 2:04 to play. A pair of Nathan Mattera (Fontana, CA) threes off Gordon and Logan Dorsey (Los Angeles, CA) assists put the game away.
Boston, Gates, and Ferguson all had 20-point games with ten different players scoring. Boston finished with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting with six rebounds and eight steals, Gates added 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting with another four rebounds and three steals and Amadi was 8-for-12 with another 21 points seven rebounds, eight assists, and six steals. Gordon despite not adding double digit points posted a strong stat line with nine points on 4-of-7 shooting, nine rebounds, two blocks, an assist and two steals.
The Bulldogs forced 37 turnovers, which turned into 54 points off turnovers and another 22 fastbreak points. They also never trailed after the first minute of the game.
Redlands will play four games in Oregon next week beginning with a match-up against George Fox University at Pacific University in Forest Grove on November 22 at 4:00 p.m.
