The University of Redlands men's basketball team welcomed the Loggers of the University of Puget Sound to Currier Gym for a non-conference game on Saturday afternoon. Through five ties and eight lead changes, the Bulldogs suffered a tough loss due to a late run by the Loggers, ultimately falling, 72-74.
The Loggers began the game on a run, leading the game 15-7 at the 14:36-minute mark. However, the Maroon and Gray stormed back with a double-digit run to overtake the lead at 18-15. Junior guard Vincenzo Ferrari (Burlingame, CA) and senior forward David Menary (Grass Valley, CA) each knocked down a three while Ferrari and junior wing Gary Menary (Grass Valley, CA) added a layup in the 11-0 run.
Senior guard Thomas Scriven (Anaheim, CA) entered the game at 10:47 and immediately hit a trey-ball to extend Redlands' lead to 24-18.
The lead changed twice over the next four minutes as both teams fought for points. First-year forward Griffin Barker (Kirkland, WA) put the Bulldogs back on top with a layup at 6:35, he was good for another just over a minute later for a 32-25 Maroon and Gray lead.
Although the Loggers battled back to just a three-point deficit, D. Menary made both of his free throws right before Scriven hauled in an offensive board and found senior guard Hass Berry (Riverside, CA) for a three-pointer to go back up by eight.
Puget Sound found the basket once more before halftime for the Bulldogs to enter the break with a 37-32 lead.
D. Menary made a layup and was fouled on the first play of the second half. He made his subsequent free throw to complete the three-point play. On the very next possession, G. Menary swiped a steal and took it coast-to-coast for a layup to give the Bulldogs their biggest lead of the night, 42-32, at 19:06 in the second.
The Loggers gained some momentum but a three-pointer from D. Menary halted their run to maintain a four-point lead at 16:33.
The teams traded scores over the next nine minutes of action with the Bulldogs holding a slight lead the whole time. However, at 7:34, Puget Sound hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 56-56.
Sophomore forward Kameron Wright (Fontana, CA) completed the and-one play with a layup and free throw to retake a three-point spread.
Although the Loggers took a one-point lead at the 4:48-minute mark, the Bulldogs subsequently went on a 9-2 run to build a slight buffer. Berry knocked down a trey-ball, while D. Menary and junior guard Jack Roggin (Toluca Lake, CA) combined for two layups and a jumper in the scoring span.
However, Puget Sound buckled down and went on an 8-0 run down the stretch to take the game and hand the Bulldogs a tough, 72-74, loss.
D. Menary led with 23 points while Ferrari added 13. Wright had a great game on the defensive end with three blocks and eight rebounds.
Redlands (5-2) looks to flip tonight's result when they meet UC Santa Cruz for the second time this season with a 5 p.m. matchup in Currier Gym on Monday, December 16.
