Flashes Begin Tour with Win over Laurentian
8/12/2017 10:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – The Kent State University men's basketball team started its foreign tour in Costa Rica with success, defeating the competitive Laurentian Voyagers, 83-82.
Laurentian came out strong, having played three previous games in Costa Rica coming into Saturday. Kent State was tested for 40 minutes, with the result decided on a Jalen Avery game-winner. Avery started as the floor general for Kent State, with 12 points and a game-best five assists.
Jalen Avery had the game-winner tonight in San Jose. Here is his take postgame pic.twitter.com/1caVgA33UN
— KentStMBB (@KentStMBB) August 13, 2017
Incoming freshman BJ Duling gave Kent State plenty to look forward to, scoring a team-best 19 points. He shot 7-for-14 from the floor, 3-for-6 from 3-point range. Adonis De La Rosa had 13 points on 6-for-8 shooting with five rebounds.
Duling on his debut with the Flashes, he had a game-high 19 points. pic.twitter.com/jVPjsJnqsT
— KentStMBB (@KentStMBB) August 13, 2017
The Flashes went down low to start the game, as De La Rosa converting on the first three baskets. The first quarter played within a possession for most of the period, ending with Voyagers up, 19-18.
The Flashes came out strong in the second quarter, breaking away on a 14-3 run to take the first double-digit lead at 32-22. The Voyagers battled back with a run of their own, scoring eight straight points before a Duling layup snapped the cold spell. Kent State would enter halftime with a 34-32 lead. The Flashes shot an even 50 percent at 14-for-28 in the first half, going 11-for-19 from inside the arc.
The Voyagers immediately erased their deficit to start the second half on a layup. A Mitch Peterson 3-pointer on the wing gave Kent State a 41-36 lead and ignited the best run for Kent State. The Flashes outscored Laurentian 20-12 over the next seven minutes. Kent State ended the third quarter with its largest lead at 61-48.
Kent State had to fend off a competitive side in the fourth quarter. Laurentian would get to within six points of Kent State at 67-73, but the Flashes attacked the basket to fend off the Voyagers. Avery and Peterson connected on back-to-back driving layups, putting the score at 77-67 with five minutes left.
The Voyagers made their comeback run in the final minutes, working Kent State's lead down to 79-77 with two minutes left. Laurentian had an opportunity to tie or take the lead, but Kevin Zabo came up with a clutch steal. Zabo had his foot grabbed just after the steal, signaling an intentional foul. Avery knocked down a pair of free throws to give Kent State breathing room. Laurentian scored on back-to-back possessions to put the score at 81-80 with 30 seconds left.
Laurentian took their final lead with six seconds left, when a called foul in the lane resulted in a pair of made free throws. Inbounding at halfcourt, the Flashes put the ball in Avery's hands, as the junior scored on a floater from the left corner with a second left. Laurentian did not get a final possession, as Desmond Ridenour deflected the inbounds pass to signal the horn.
Overall, Kent State shot 51 percent (35-for-68) from the floor, 61 percent within the 3-point line. Kent State outrebounded the Voyagers 29-27. Laurentian stayed in the game by getting to the free throw line for 32 attempts to Kent State's seven.
With MAC Tournament MVP Jaylin Walker out of action, Ridenour filled in successfully. He shot 5-for-9 from the floor, 2-for-4 from 3-point range, for 12 points. Peterson had a solid return to the court, scoring 11 points on 5-for-12 shooting.
The game was the first of a back-to-back-to-back slate for the Flashes. Kent State will face the Costa Rican National Team Sunday at 6 p.m. local time.
