Blazers Clamp Down on Clarendon, 74-66

LEVELLAND, Texas -- Dallas College North Lake knocked off another marquee opponent, beating Clarendon College, 74-66, Friday at the South Plains College Texans Classic.

Clarendon, a National Junior College Athletic Association Division I school, was receiving votes in the national poll, and was a preseason Top 20 team. The Blazers, who are ranked fourth in NJCAA Division III, notched their third win over an NJCAA Division I school and fourth against a scholarship school, what with its victory over Arkansas Cossatot.

"I'm happy for the win, happy for our guys," North Lake head coach Josh Mills said after his team improved to 6-2. "They work hard in practice each day to prove they are scholarship-worthy players."

Sophomore transfer Bryson Smith scored a career-high 26 points on 7 of 14 shooting. He was 12 of 16 from the free throw line, and had five rebounds and three assists. Jakob Zenon scored 20 points, going 9-for-11 from the stripe. It was the fifth straight game he's scored at least 20 points, and sixth time this season. 

North Lake, which shot 34.6 percent in the first half, and found itself down a deuce at the break, held Clarendon (5-3) to 33 points in both halves. The Blazers knocked down 15 of 27 field goals, without making a three-pointer, in the second half for 55.6 percent. They outscored the Bulldogs, 43-33, in the second half to win going away.

Autavius Hobbs scored nine points, and Ring Deng had seven points and four rebounds for the Blazers. Hobbs scored six points in the second half, Zenon had 13 after the break, and Smith 15.

Cortez Johnson had 18 points on 8 of 10 shooting, and Rynell Bert and Jalen Bouknight each scored 13 for the Bulldogs, who shot 46 percent. Daniel Sykes had 12 points.

North Lake forced Clarendon into 18 turnovers, while committing only seven itself.

The Blazers will meet NJCAA Division I No. 2 South Plains 2 p.m. Saturday to conclude the tournament.

"We have a tough test tomorrow," Mills said. "We are excited about the opportunity to play against the best in the country."