HOUSTON, Texas – St. Thomas held off a pesky Jarvis Christian men's basketball team, 77-72, Friday in the Jerabeck Activity & Athletic Center
The Celts led by as many as 17 with 12:42 to play following a free throw by Michael Alfred (JR/Baton Rogue, Louisiana), but Jarvis rallied to get within three late before UST put it away.
St. Thomas (11-4, 3-1 Red River Athletic Conference) remained in the thick of the league race. Jarvis Christian fell to 3-7, 1-3.
Orowo Eleyae (SR/Houston, Texas) drove and scored off an inbounds pass to put the Celts ahead 13-2 early, but Jarvis Christian cut it to 19-12 at the 11:17 mark. Chasten King hit a three to pull the Bulldogs within 26-20 with 7:30 to play in the half. King knocked down a jumper to cut it to 30-28 before UST's Paris Marquez (SR/Atascocita, Texas) scored off an offensive rebound on the next possession.
Kennard Robinson (JR/Houston, Texas) scored with 1:32 to play, Eleyae added a layup and a block – the latter which led to an alley-oop dunk off the glass from Robinson to Nathan Thormaehlen (JR/Katy, Texas) to put the Celts ahead 38-29. Cameron Gims (FR/Cypress, Texas) buried a triple to beat the buzzer, sending UST into the break up, 43-29.
The Celts shot 41.9 percent in the first half. The Bulldogs shot 32.4 percent.
Paul Taulton (JR/Pearland, Texas) scored on a dish from Eleyae with 15:38 to play to put St. Thomas up, 50-34. Lee Lincoln canned a three, and King scored off a turnover to pull Jarvis within 55-43 with 10:51 left on the clock. King scored on an offensive rebound to cut the gap to 57-48. He buried a triple to pull the Bulldogs within 57-51.
Jarvis drew within five before Taulton powered his way to a three-point play with over seven minutes remaining. The Bulldogs cut it to three on a triple by Lincoln at the 4:23 mark. Eleyae scored on a transition basket to push the Celts back up seven. Jarvis got within five, but Taulton muscled his way for a hoop on the low block with 1:47 to go. Robinson scored on a nifty up-and-under bucket to keep the Celts in front by seven before King answered on the other end with 1:07 left. But the Celts held on down the stretch.
Taulton finished with 17 points and seven rebounds. Eleyae had 17 points, five boards and four blocks. Marquez had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Robinson had 10 points and two steals, and Gims added nine points, six boards and two steals.
King scored 26 points, and Eric Stewart and Lee each had 16 for the Bulldogs.
UST shot 40.7 percent. Jarvis shot 41.8 percent. Both teams had 43 rebounds.
St. Thomas will host No. 12 Wiley at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
