UPIKE Athletics

The University of Pikeville wrapped up the UPike Classic with a 75-67 win over the University of Rio Grande on Saturday evening.
 
The 21^st-ranked Bears got 24 points, seven rebounds and three assists from sophomore Zion Blevins to lead the way, improving to 2-1 on the season.
 
The Red Storm fell to 2-1 as well.
 
UPike jumped out to an 8-3 lead before the Red Storm scored six straight, and a layup by Landon Brewer with 16:14 left put Rio in front 9-8.
 
But the Bear responded with an 8-2 run. It began with a Robby Todd three and ended on a three by Taye Williams to put UPike in front 14-10 with 13:14 showing in the half.
 
Later in the half, the Bears ran off seven unanswered points. Zion Blevins had five of them, including the three-point play with 3:13 left to make it 35-23.
 
The Bears took a 39-27 lead to the break.
 
The lead grew to 16, 45-29, with 18:37 left after Williams nailed a three. But the Red Storm went on a prolonged run and outscored the Bears 21-8 over the next 6:41, and when junior Parker Penrod nailed a three to end a run of seven straight, Rio had pulled within three at 53-50 with 11:56 left.
 
UPike immediately answered with seven straight, and a three-pointer by sophomore Aden Barnett pushed the lead back to 10 at 60-50 with 9:25 on the scoreboard.
 
Rio got to within four once more, on a three-point bucket by sophomore guard Brody Buchanan to make the score 71-67, but only 51 seconds remained in the game.
 
From there, UPike scored the final four points for the win.
 
Blevins was joined in double figures by junior guard Jaylan Rigdon, who added four rebounds, three assists and no turnovers.
 
Junior Taye Williams had 12 points on 4 of 6 shooting from the field, pulling down four rebounds and dishing out three assists.
 
UPike was a concise 8 for 8 from the line.
 
Rio Grande had four players in double figures, all of them finishing with 14 points. Buchanan was joined by junior Caleb Schmelzer, junior Landon Brewer and sophomore Caden Windle.
 
Schmelzer led the team with eight rebounds while handing out five assists, while Buchanan had seven rebounds and six assists.
 
UPike will begin AAC play on Wednesday when it travels to Bluefield, Va., to play the Rams. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.