FREDERICK, Md. – Jude Huseby's career-high 17 points and the fast tempo of the Blazers led to their win in their conference home-opener over Messiah 88-76 on Saturday afternoon.
 
Inside the Box Score
 
Jude Huseby (Frederick, Md./Urbana) scored all of his 17 points in the first half and grabbed eight boards.
 
Garrison Linton (New Market, Md./Oakdale) earned a double-double via 14 points and 10 assists along with six rebounds.
 
Garrett Cox (Glen Allen, VA/Glen Allen) dropped 13 featuring six boards and a block.
 
How it Happened
 
The Blazers would fight back with a reverse layup by Jack Fricka (Alexandria, Va./West Potomac) and two tough buckets by Jude Huseby (Frederick, Md./Urbana) to bring the lead in favor of the Blazers. 
 
Head coach Chad Dickman was emphasizing pace on the sidelines going after the game's first timeout. 
 
With each missed Messiah shot was a rebound pulled down and an immediate sprint down the court. Even though points weren't coming via fast break, defenders with heavy breathing would leave the Hood attack open and that 4-0 lead for the Falcons led to an 18-4 score after eight minutes of play. 
 
Fouls started to plague the tempo of the Blazers and with a couple turnovers deep Falcons kicked in. 
 
Hosteler for Messiah buried two threes to pull within 3 and forced a Hood timeout. 
 
Despite the success outside the arc, Huseby's ability to create space continued to crack the Falcon play underneath the basket. Dragging two defenders underneath the basket with a spin move gave him an opening for a floater.
 
Linton commanded the floor to all involved as five straight buckets were dished by the New Market native.
 
Messiah would end half on with a high-arching three to get the bench on their feet, but Hood would leave with the 11-point lead. The Blazers shot at almost 60 percent in the first.
 
The Blazers would go almost three minutes in the second half before scoring via a Cox three ball. Cox has improved in health and now shooting from all parts of the field and getting up to dunk like he did in the first half.
 
The lead would stabilize and the depth of Hood would use their fresh legs to combat the Falcons who did not show they ranked at the bottom of the conference standings.
 
Shifty play from Will Spencer (Davidsonville, Md./Boys' Latin School) and another pesky deep shooter in Troy Fulton (Denver, N.C./Lincoln Charter School) started to connect and the Blazers cruised to another conference win, their fourth straight win over Messiah.
 
"Anytime you can get a win in conference, you'll take it," said Dickman. "Messiah went at us and fought for 40 minutes. We need to be better defensively if we want to win a title and our focus to be at that championship level that we need to be at starts next week."
 
Analysis

Hood led for all but two minutes of the game.

After shooting over 60 percent in the first half, the Blazers shot under 40 in the second. Messiah Shot 35 percent in the second half.


Inside the Box Score

Caleb Lyles scored 21 points on the day to lead all scorers.

Luke Hosteler made five three's and shot 50 percent from three.
 
Up Next
 
The squad goes on a two-game road trip first traveling to Albright to take on the 6-6 Lions on their turf on Wednesday, January 15 with a 7 p.m. tip-off.