ORIGINALLY WRITTEN DON RATZLAFF
Senior Kevin Koehn hit nine of 10 free throws during a technical-foul fest late in the game to lead Tabor to a 90-79 win over St. Gregory’s University in the second round of the Tabor College Classic Saturday night.
The Jays were comfortably ahead 82-73 with 30 seconds to go, but a foul and a flurry of three technical fouls called on the Cavalier bench led to the ejection of the SGU coach and put Koehn at the line for eight consecutive free throws. Koehn made all eight. After a 3-pointer and free throw by Jamion Prewitt of St. Gregory’s, Koehn was fouled again and made one of two charity shots.
The game was a physical battle throughout. Though the Bluejays led by as many as 10 points in the first half, they could not hold the lead. The first three minutes of the second half were neck and neck. St. Gregory’s took their last lead at 49-47 with 13:25 to play. Tabor’s Jimmy Janzen came off the bench to hit a field goal and a 3-pointer moments later to put Tabor up by seven, 56-49. From that point on, the Jays slowly inched the lead upward.
Koehn finished as the team’s high scorer with 24 points. Micah Ratzlaff added 16, and Ernest Nortey and Lance Redetske each added 10 points coming off the bench.
With the win, Tabor moves to 3-0 on the young season. The Jays will compete in the Sterling Classic next weekend, playing Newman University on Friday night and then a rematch with Central Christian on Saturday night. Both games will start at 4 p.m.
Bluejays clip St. Gregory’s at TC Classic
