KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - The Grand View men's basketball team beat Avila 68-63 on Thursday night. The Vikings led by as many as 11 in the second half and made their free throws late to close it out.
Avila scored the first four points, but Grand View answered quickly. Rodell Davis Jr. hit a three-pointer, then another assisted by Lukas Helms, and Martez Rhodes hit a fastbreak three-pointer assisted by Daviyon Gaston to make it 9-4. Rhodes added a layup, Helms scored a jumper, and Gaston hit a three-pointer to push the lead to 16-10. Terrius Walker finished a fastbreak layup, and Davis scored another off a steal, assisted by Walker, to make it 20-12. Avila answered with an 8-0 run to tie the game at 20-20. Grand View outscored Avila 13-9 the rest of the half. Taylor Feroah hit a three-pointer assisted by Helms, Helms scored on a fastbreak layup assisted by Brody Ingold, and Feroah hit another three-pointer assisted by Ingold. Rhodes added a layup assisted by Feroah, and Helms hit a jumper with 1:33 left. Grand View led 33-29 at halftime, shooting 48.1% from the field and 6-14 from three-point range.
Helms scored the first two baskets of the second half, a layup assisted by Rhodes and a jumper, to make it 37-29. After Avila cut it to 39-33, Helms hit a three-pointer assisted by Gaston, scored a layup and made the free throw, and Gaston added a layup to make it 47-36, the biggest lead of the night. Avila went on a 16-6 stretch from there and got within one at 53-52 with about seven minutes left. Gaston answered with a layup, and Davis made two free throws. Ingold scored a jumper to make it 59-54, and Avila got within one again at 59-58 with three minutes left. Grand View never trailed in the second half. Rhodes scored a layup, and Helms hit a jumper to make it 63-59. Gaston then made five of six free throws in the last 42 seconds as Avila kept fouling, and the Vikings held on for the win.
GAME NOTES:
- Lukas Helms led the Vikings with 19 points on 8-9 shooting and added 2 assists.
- Martez Rhodes scored 15 points, including 2 three-pointers, and Daviyon Gaston had 14 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals.
- Rodell Davis Jr. added 10 points, going 2-5 from three-point range, and Taylor Feroah had 6 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
- Grand View shot 45.5% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range, and made 10 of 14 free throws.
- The Vikings had a 23-9 advantage in points off turnovers and a 9-2 advantage in fast-break points.
- Grand View had 9 steals and 2 blocks.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Grand View improves to 3-1 on the season. The Vikings play McPherson College in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, Nov. 6, at 1:00 p.m.
