Tabor picked up its first conference win at home, walking away from Ottawa in the second half 68-51 on Thursday night.
Scoring a game high 16 points, Cody Arnold started the game scoring the first five points to give Tabor an early lead over the scoreless Braves. Arnold opened the game on his first of seven rebounds followed by a lay up. The next Tabor possession, Arnold nailed a deep three.
A Damon Dechant basket gave Tabor a 7-0 lead before Ottawa got on the board. The Braves came back, cutting the Bluejay lead to 11-10 with 13:50 in the first half.
Tabor rebuilt its lead to 22-14 before Ottawa went on a five point run, that started with a dunk in traffic by Chris Tate. The spurt quickly ended on a physical play by Isaac Johnston
Down 22-19, Johnston tried to ward off Bluejay defender Lawson Kingsley and connected with a flailing elbow to Kingsley?s face.
Kingsley fell to the floor, remaining for a few moments. Johnston was whistled for a flagrant technical foul. Both players finished the game.
Arnold sunk the ensuing foul attempts to give Tabor a 43-25 advantage. Tabor finished the half maintaining an eight-point lead, and headed into the locker room 35-27.
Ottawa hung around, keeping the score in single digits in the early part of the second half. Tabor eventually pulled away. Tabor held its biggest lead with 1:52 left to play at 68-48.
Moments before, Tabor coach Micah Ratzlaff, emptied his bench. The shot to put Tabor ahead 20 came courtesy of Bluejay reserve Gavin Serene. Serene?s three-point bucket was the last of the game for Tabor. Thursday night’s win gave Tabor a regular season sweep of Ottawa. The Bluejays beat Ottawa 78-67 on Dec. 12 in Ottawa.
Three Bluejays finished with double figures, Arnold, Dechant (12), and Michael Janzen (11). Daniel Hann led the Bluejays on the boards with 11 rebounds. Other contributers were Ryan Chippeaux (9 points, 6 rebounds), Lawson Kingsley (8 points, 3 assists), Hann (4), Serene (3), Jason Hett and Clay Shewey (2), Rob Moore (1).
Ottawa?s Chris Tate finished with a double-double scoring 15 points and 11 rebounds. Corey Smith scored 11.
Kansas Wesleyan? A tight contest in the first half, Saturday?s parents night match up at Tabor turned ugly in the second half as Kansas Wesleyan beat the Bluejays 86-63 in Hillsboro.
In the last 10:44 of the contest, Tabor was whistled for four technical fouls and KWU was whistled for one. Daniel Hann drew the first T at the 10:44 mark.
Nearly four minutes later, Rob Moore advanced the ball up court past the timelime and was met by Kansas Wesleyan?s Rodney Brown. Brown pressured Moore, playing physical defense against the Tabor guard.
Moore made a move to his right and was bumped by Brown near halfcourt directly in front of the Bluejay bench. Bluejay coach Micah Ratzlaff charged the court with his arms flailing complaining the no-call to the nearest official. The official immediately whistled Ratzlaff for the technical. Bryson Flax made the ensuing free throws, extending the Coyotes? lead to 74-55.
Events following a physical play led to a double-technical foul and the end of Damon Dechant?s evening. Fighting for a rebound, Dechant was whistled for an over-the-back violation. Some talk occurred between players and Kansas Wesleyan?s Matthew Dickman was held away from the argument. Dechant and Dickman were whistled for technical fouls. Dechant fouled out of the game with 10 points, seven rebounds.
Some confusion occurred after the technical call, leading to a delay of action for several minutes.
The final technical violation was called on Ryan Chippeaux late in the second half. Chippeaux fouled out the game with the technical.
The first half was competitive, starting 12-12 and ending 41-38 Coyotes. Kansas Wesleyan made a 10-2 run get the biggest lead of the half at 26-21 with 9:35 left in the opening stanza.
Kansas Wesleyan slowly pulled away in second half, getting its first double digit lead at 58-48 with 12:50 left in the game.
Wesleyan?s Joe Harvey shared a game high 18 points with Tabor?s Cody Arnold. Wille McCarty scored 14, Mekan Moss had 12 and Bryson Flax finished with 10.
Other scorers for Tabor were Lawson Kingsley (8), Michael Janzen, Ryan Chippeaux (7), Clay Shewey (6), Daniel Hann (4), and Curtis Dick (3).
Kansas Wesleyan improved to 6-8, 9-14 and sits fifth in the KCAC.
Tabor fell to 5-9, 8-15 and is tied for sixth with Sterling. The Bluejays travel to 9-5, 13-11 Bethany on Thursday and host 7-7, 11-13 Southwestern on Saturday.
Tabor lost to Bethany 72-66 in Hillsboro on Jan. 9. Tabor took Southwestern to overtime on a Cody Arnold three-point buzzer beater on Jan. 14, but fell 76-71.
