THE RUNDOWN
The Patriots battled through a rollercoaster first half against the Oklahoma Christian Eagles, showcasing resilience and determination. After a strong start, with Trevor Frank hitting an early three-pointer, DBU built a solid lead, fueled by a defensive effort that forced nine turnovers and a four-minute scoring drought from OC. The Patriots surged ahead with timely shots from Jaden Shelvin, Xavion Brown, and Ricky Lujan, taking a 33-16 lead at one point. However, the Eagles mounted a late comeback, closing the gap to just one point, 51-50, heading into the break. The game remained tight throughout, but DBU's defense and offensive execution in the second half ultimately led to a 92-77 victory.
The Patriots came out strong in the opening half against the Eagles, with Trevor Frank knocking down a fast-break three to get the ball rolling. After OC briefly took the lead, Jaden Shelvin answered with a three of his own, and DBU surged ahead as Xavion Brown and Ricky Lujan added layups to give the Patriots a 10-6 lead. A strong defensive effort from DBU, forcing nine turnovers and a four-minute scoring drought from OC, fueled a 10-0 run, extending the lead to 20-11. The Patriots continued to build momentum as Drew Calderon hit a clutch three-pointer to push DBU's lead to 23-13, their first double-digit lead of the game.
Despite OC's Miles Gibson cutting into the lead with a three, DBU continued to dominate, as Cody Stevens and Frank scored key buckets to stretch the lead to 33-16, their largest of the half. Frank then followed up with two free throws, bringing the margin to 17 points. However, the Eagles mounted a comeback with an 11-2 scoring run, cutting DBU's lead to just eight. Calderon then drilled back-to-back threes to restore the lead, finishing with 17 points and putting DBU ahead 49-32 with three minutes left. Despite the strong surge, the Eagles closed the half on a 15-point run, forcing DBU into a scoring drought and bringing the game to a nail-biting 51-50 at the break.
The second half saw OC briefly take the lead early on, with free throws putting the Eagles ahead 53-51 just a minute into the period. However, DBU quickly regained control as Cameron Kahn hit a three-pointer, followed by a layup from Jackson McCabe to put the Patriots back on top. OC's Keyondre Young responded with a three to cut the deficit to one, but DBU didn't let up. With both Kahn and Lujan draining shots, the Patriots pushed their lead to seven, as both players reached double digits. DBU then went on an impressive 8-0 run, capped by a three from Trevor Frank and a series of scores from McCabe, to stretch the lead to 13, 76-63.
Despite OC attempting to mount a comeback by capitalizing on a couple of DBU turnovers, the Patriots quickly responded. Lujan hit a clutch three-pointer, and Kahn converted a pair of free throws to put DBU back up by double digits at 81-71 with six minutes left. The Patriots continued to build momentum, going on a 14-0 run, with key contributions from AJ Borden and Justin Haire, to extend the lead to 90-71. OC fought hard in the final minutes, but DBU's defense held firm, and the Patriots ultimately secured a 92-77 victory to close out a dominant second half performance.
FOUR THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Today's victory marks the first time the Patriots have won six consecutive road games in a season since the 2019-2020 campaign.Â
- In the first half, the Patriots forced OC into nine turnovers over a span of more than four minutes.
- The bench made a significant impact, contributing 40 points to the team's effort.
- DBU maintained the lead for more than 35 minutes during today's matchup.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
4- Four Patriots finished in double figures, including
Drew Calderon (19),
Ricky Lujan (18),
Cameron Kahn (15) and
Trevor Frank (10).Â
7- Xavion Brown led the Patriots with a team-high seven rebounds.Â
25- The Patriots forced 25 turnovers from the Eagles.Â
42- DBU produced 42 points in the paint compared to OC's 36.
DBU HEAD COACH BLAKE FLICKNER POST-GAME COMMENTS
"We did a great job today, especially in the 2nd half, our defensive intensity and rebounding really stepped up. There was big contributions by multiple guys. Our bench was a huge spark and helped really create some momentum. We are excited to get back home to the Burg this week and Patriot faithful."
UP NEXT
DBU will be back in Dallas next week for games against St. Mary's on Thursday, January 9, and St. Edward's on Saturday, January 11.
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