Blazer Boys Basketball traveled to Riverview High School on Monday evening for a battle with the 7A Rams. The Blazers came into the game riding a 3 game winning streak and with hopes of keeping up with the 5-3 Rams.
Both teams started out well, working to a 12-11 lead for the Blazers at the 3 minute mark of the first quarter.
Ben Milliken would come down and make his second of two threes in the quarter to make it 15-11, the Rams would score two on the return trip, and
Noah Spenn took a bump by a Rams player and put the ball up and into the basket to make it 17-13. The Blazer defense would hold strong on the final attempt by the Rams in the first quarter and on the return trip, Spenn would chase down a rebound with 3 seconds to go, turn and find Freshman
Drew Sirianni all alone under the basket for a buzzer beating basket to go into the second quarter with the 6 point lead at 19-13. The teams would trade baskets and the Blazers would slowly increase their lead to 9 before
Justin Brock would drop in back to back baskets to give the Blazers their biggest lead of the game at 13 points, 31-18. But the Rams numbers and Blazer foul trouble would result in the Rams surging back to tie the game at 33-33 going into the half. In total, the Rams went on a 40-8 run between the middle half of the second quarter and into the first minute of the fourth quarter to doom the Blazers and give them their fourth loss of the season. The Blazers were led by Sirianni's 17 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks, as the Freshman played a very good game against a very tough team. Brock also reached into the double figures in points with 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists. Turnovers were the story that doomed the Blazers as they turned the ball over 26 times, leading to 29 points for the Rams. Defensively, the Blazers held strong, but couldn't overcome the turnovers.
Noah Spenn led the team in rebounds (10) and blocks (3). Those three blocks places Spenn at the top of the Blazers known list of record holders for blocks in a career at 31 total. Before Monday's game, Spenn split the record with John Solomon, former Blazer who transferred to Riverview HS, with 28 blocks over year at Sarasota Christian. Solomon is currently playing his senior season at Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Top Scorers:
The Blazers, now 7-4 on the season, will face off against Bayshore High on Friday night at 7pm at home. JV boys will begin at 5:30 with the Blazer Girls face Bishop McLaughlin at 4pm.
