Box Score Embry-Riddle Men's Basketball beat Bellevue Saturday afternoon in the Activity Center 74-65 to earn their first win of the season and Coach Ben Tucker's first career win.
In the first half, ERAU jumped out to an early lead as Jake Klingler (Gilbert, Ariz.) scored the first basket of the season. The Eagles led until the Bruins tied the score with 16:47 left in the first half. The tie didn't last long though as Demari Hackett (Surprise, Ariz.) made a three point shot to give Embry-Riddle the 5-2 lead. Conner Ivy (Phoenix, Ariz.) made his first points as an Eagle with a three pointer to bring the ERAU lead to 6 with the score at 8-2. Dennis Pomazanov (Pleasant Hill, Calif.) scored the next three Embry-Riddle points as he made a basket and added two free throws to make the score 12-3 Eagles with 12:48 to go in the half.
Another three by Ivy was followed up with two three pointers for the Bruins as they worked to get back into the game. Zack Mortiz (Ontario, California) made a jump shot to bring the score to 17-9 ERAU but once again Bellevue made two more threes to make it a two point game at 17-15. After an Embry-Riddle timeout, the Bruins tied the score at 17-17 with 9:23 to go in the half. ERAU regained the lead on two free throws by Brett Bush (Nicholasville, Kentucky). Neither team scored again for two minutes until Bellevue got two more free throws and a three pointer to give them their first lead of the afternoon at 22-19. The Bruins led by five before Christmas Togiai, Jr. (Kapolei, Hawaii) made two free throws to make the score 24-21 still in favor of Bellevue. As the time wound down in the first half, Embry-Riddle outscored Bellevue 6-2 as the Eagles led at halftime 31-28.
In the second half, Klingler made a three point shot just a minute into the half to put ERAU up by 6 and shortly after was fouled shooting a three and made all three free throws to give Embry-Riddle a 37-30 lead with 18 minutes to go in the game. The Eagles extended their lead to ten points on a layup by Pomazanov, but the Bruins cut into the ERAU lead with a three and a dunk to make the score 42-37 with 15:28 left. Embry-Riddle called a timeout when Bellevue got within three points with 111:50 to go and the score at 47-44. Out of the timeout, Klingler got a steal and a layup to make the score 51-44 and force the Bruins to use a timeout with 10:44 left in the game. Embry-Riddle shot well down the stretch as Pomazanov made four free throws and Togiai, Jr. made three baskets as the Eagles won 74-65 in their first game of the season.
Klingler finished the game with a game high 23 points as he also added in five assists and four steals. Pomazanov had 21 points with ten rebounds.
Embry-Riddle will travel to Montana to play in the Carroll College Tournament on November 10th and 11th next. The Eagles are set to play tournament hosts Carroll on the 10th at 7:30pm.
