Jeff Willison

Blazers Use Balanced Attack to Knock Off NJCU, 80-67

ANNVILLE, Pa.--Four Blazers netted double figures as the Hood College men's basketball team (2-1) downed the New Jersey City University Gothic Knights (1-1), 80-67, Friday night in the first round of the Lebanon Valley College Rinso Marquette Tournament.

The Blazers scored the first nine points of the contest and never trailed to advance to the championship game of the two-day tournament. The Blazers led by as many as 16 in the first half but a putback by NJCU's Farrakhan Wells just before the buzzer trimmed the Hood lead to 40-32 at the break.

Hood ripped off a 15-4 run to start the second half, capped by four straight layups from Jeff Willison, Ryan Junghans and Tim Abercrombie. The Gothic Knights closed to within eight again midway through the stanza. But the Blazers responded once again by scoring eight more unanswered points and went on to win by 13.

Junghans led all scorers with a season-high 25 points, including five three-pointers. Jeff Willison matched his career-high with 18 points, hitting 6-of-9 from the field and sinking all six free throw attempts. Tim Abercrombie contributed 13 points and a team-high six rebounds while J'Air Brady finished with 11 points and five assists. Brenden Straughn dished out a career-best six assists and picked off six steals. Tyler Snoots chipped in with four points and grabbed six boards.

The Blazers will face Lebanon Valley in the championship game Saturday at 3 p.m.