Texas Border Business
EDINBURG, Texas – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men’s basketball team beat the Houston Christian University Huskies 100-90 on Sunday at the second annual UTRGV South Padre Island Battle on the Beach at the South Padre Island Convention Center.
Senior Justin Johnson led the Vaqueros (8-4) with 29 points while going 8-for-14 from the field plus a career-high tying 12-for-19 from the line, plus eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. Junior Ahren Freeman scored a career-high 23 points with nine rebounds. Sophomore Will Johnston scored 19 points with five assists. Graduate student Dima Zdor scored 12 points with three blocks. Sophomore Sherman Brashear scored eight points with four rebounds. Freshman Adante’ Holiman dished out five assists with a career-high three steals, one block and five points.
Maks Klanjscek led the Huskies (3-9) with 21 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Brycen Long scored 16 points with six assists and three steals. Bonke Maring scored 16 points with six rebounds. Pierce Bazil finished with 12 points and four rebounds.
Johnson hit a layup and a jumper as the Vaqueros jumped out to an 8-3 lead. After the Huskies scored the next five points, the Vaqueros scored 16-straight points as part of a 19-2 run, capped by a Brashear 3, to go up 27-10.
The Huskies responded with a 12-5 run to pull within 32-22. Freeman pushed back with a 3-point play as the Vaqueros went on a 9-5 run to take a 41-27 lead.
The Huskies scored the next eight points to pull within 41-35.
The Huskies were still within six at 50-44 early in the second half when a pair of Johnson free throws, a Johnston 3-pointer, back-to-back layups by Holiman and Johnson, and a pair of Freeman free throws powered an 11-0 run to put the Vaqueros up 61-44.
Then, with the score 69-57, the Vaqueros scored 11-straight points as part of a 14-2 run, capped by a Johnson 3-pointer, to take an 83-59 lead and push the game out of reach.
UTRGV opens Western Athletic Conference play on Dec. 29 at 8 p.m. at Utah Tech. Fans can watch domestically on ESPN+ or internationally via WAC International.
