East Wichita Times

Bluejays Season Comes To An End At Avila

For their last game of the 2022-2023 season, the Bluejays traveled to Avila University to face the Eagles. 

Both teams struggled to get shots to fall, as there would only be 11 total points scored in the first 13 minutes of play. Adam Nance (SR/Seminole, Okla. ) scored the Bluejays' first four points with a bucket and two free throws. As Avila held a 7-4 lead, Kreeland Avery (FR/Lubbock, Texas) tied it up with the first Tabor three of the evening. The Eagles answered with a two, but Tabor regained a lead after a Marvin Ruffin (SO/Wichita, Kan.) three. Avila scored the next six and Tabor called a timeout. Out of the timeout, Adam Nance grabbed an offensive board and scored it. On the defensive end, Tabor got a stop and transitioned into offense. Thatcher McClure (FR/McKinney, Texas) found a wide open Kade Hemmert (JR/Oakley, Kan.) on the wing to tie it up, 15-15. 

With under six minutes left in the first half, it would now be Hemmert's turn to find an open McClure on the arc for another Bluejay three. Avila extended a 22-18 lead before David Moss (SR/Lawrenceville, Ga.) got his first points of the game with a layup. On an assist from Austin Hilton (SO/Belle Plaine, Kan.), Moss scored on the next Tabor possession. With a minute left in the half Marvin Ruffin dished out an assist to Kade Hemmert for his second three of the game, which tied the game up 25-25. Neither team would score in the last minute before heading to halftime. 

Tabor outrebounded Avila in the first half by two. Both teams were shooting near 30% from the floor and near 25% from three. Kade Hemmert and Adam Nance each had 6 points in the half. 

To start the second half, Avila and Tabor exchanged buckets but Avila held a slight lead until Austin Hilton broke his scoring drought with a three from the wing to tie it up again at 33-33. The Eagles scored 4 straight, but was answered by a Cedric Armstrong (SR/Milwaukee, Wis.) bucket from the block. Tabor retook the lead at 40-39 after Austin Hilton found Marvin Ruffin for his second three. The Bluejays got a defensive stop and it would be Cedric Armstong to score another layup to force an Eagle timeout. 

Cedric Armstrong scored again and the Bluejays were now up 5. Avila would not go away as the score became tied once again at 53-53 with 5 minutes to go in regulation. The Eagles scored 11 straight, as Tabor's shooting went cold. With 1:10 to play, Austin Hilton hit a long three to give the Bluejays some life. The Bluejays got a steal and got a good offensive look that didn't go. Tabor hit the offensive glass twice, but could not get a shot to fall. Now with 30 seconds left, Avila was up 10. The Eagles had the ball and Tabor was forced to foul to get the ball back. With not enough time on the clock for a comeback, the Bluejays fell to the Eagles 56-68. Austin Hilton led the team in scoring with 11, assists with 5, and rebounds with 6. 

Original source can be found here.