Tabor men earn first win of year

The Tabor College men?s basketball team picked up its first win of the season at Sterling?s Warrior Classic last week.

The Bluejays opened the classic with an 85-73 victory over Oklahoma Wesleyan Friday.

The teams shot nearly the same field goal percentage from the floor in the game. Tabor made 23 of 53 attempts (43.4 percent), while Oklahoma Wesleyan made 25 of 57 (43.9 percent).

After battling to a 9-9 tie, the Eagles surged to their largest lead of the night, 22-9.

Dewayne Biggs ignited a 10-2 Tabor run with a three-point basket, and the Bluejays battled from behind until Chance LeBlanc tied the game at 29 with a basket. From there, Tabor built a 40-32 lead by halftime.

The Bluejays never trailed again, building to their largest lead of the night, 65-46, with 8:15 to play.

The closest the Eagles got after that was seven, and Tabor went on to win by 12.

Biggs led Tabor with 22 points. Malik Brooks added 19. Andrew Thomas had a double-double performance with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Tabor followed with a loss to NAIA Division I No. 12 Oklahoma Baptist, 67-61, Saturday.

The Bluejays led by as many as nine, 23-14, after a Biggs basket, and Tabor clung to a narrow 37-36 margin at halftime.

With two Thomas baskets to open the second half, Tabor increased its lead to 41-36, but the Bison burst with a 22-6 run that put them securely in the lead. Biggs drained a three with 7 seconds left to close the gap to the final six-point spread.

Tabor shot 44.9 percent from the field (22-49), while the Bison shot 45.1 percent (23-51). Thomas led Tabor with 28 points. Malik Brooks and JT?Nemit each chipped in nine.

York?Tabor lost, 91-81, Tuesday.

The Bluejays held their largest lead of the night at 8-2 after a Dewayne Biggs basket, but York battled to take the advantage. Malik Brooks tied the game at 13 with a three-pointer, but the Panthers took the lead and kept it the remainder of the half for a 40-33 advantage at the break.

Brooks closed the gap to 51-49 with a three at the 15:47 mark, but York surged to a double-digit, 63-53, advantage and built to its largest lead of the night, 88-71, with 1:44 to play.

Tabor outscored the Panthers 10-3 after that, but the effort was not enough to overcome the deficit.

Brooks and Biggs accounted for 50 of Tabor?s points and were the game?s two highest scorers. Brooks contributed 27 points and Biggs 23.

Tabor shot 49 percent from the field in the game (25-51), while York shot 51.4 percent (37-72). The Bluejays made 22 of 27 free throw attempts (81.5 percent).

Coming?Tabor (1-5)?was scheduled to play at Haskell Indian Nations University Tuesday. The Bluejays will participate in the Hastings College Classic Friday and Saturday. They will compete in an exhibition game at Central Missouri State Sunday.

Conference play will begin at Southwestern Dec. 4.

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