UPIKE Athletics

No. 21 University of Pikeville took a 15-point lead to recess and then shot 63 percent in the second half to roll to an 84-63 win over WVU Tech to wrap up the first day of play in the UPike Classic on Friday.
 
UPike (1-1) cruised to the win despite having only two players in double figures in scoring.
 
WVU Tech is now 1-2 on the season.
 
The teams were tied at 17 when UPike put together the first big run of the game, outscoring Tech 14-1 over a 4:47 stretch of the first half.
 
It started with a dunk by junior Eady Lual and saw five players score with sophomore Jye Barlow leading the way with four. When junior Jaylan Rigdon nailed a three with 6:31 left in the period, the Bears led 31-18.
 
The lead was 33-24 when the Bears closed out the half with a 10-2 run. UPike was 5 for 6 from the field while forcing Tech to miss its four shots. Blevins had eight for UPike.
 
Blevins and Rigdon had 10 each for the Bears, which took a 41-26 lead to recess.
 
An indication as to how the second half would go came in the opening 90 seconds, as the Bears got a jumper from Blevins and layups by Todd and Blevins to push the lead to 47-26.
 
An 11-2 run over a stretch of 4:15 saw the Bears shine on both ends of the court. They were 5 of 7 from the field and held Tech to 1 for 6 shooting. Blevins had five, and his three-point play with 12:42 to play had UPike in front 60-34.
 
Blevins paced the Bears with 23 points and eight rebounds in the win. Rigdon followed with 16 points and four rebounds. Williams, who had nine points, matched Blevins with eight rebounds as the Bears controlled the glass 37-28.
 
Freshman Harrison Riggs paced the Golden Bears with 13 points. Junior Scotty Browning added 11 and a team-best five rebounds.
 
UPike will be back in action on Saturday evening, playing the University of Rio Grande at 6 p.m. at the UPike Gym.