By Chad Conine

Tribune-Herald staff writer

Just 14 seconds into a Waco ISD hoops clash Tuesday night, University’s Jarrod Hall drove baseline to set the tone with a thundering dunk.

And though Waco High stayed close for a half, the Lions ultimately couldn’t overcome University’s size on the Trojans’ home court.

University outrebounded Waco High by five boards and guard Randy Price tossed in 22 points to lead the Trojans to a 62-49 victory over the Lions in the two teams’ first meeting this season in 16-4A action.

University coach Tarl Lloyd switched defenses at halftime from man-to-man to a 1-2-2 zone to keep the Lions from driving to the basket as they did for much of the first half.

The moved worked as the Trojans won the third quarter, 22-14, giving them the cushion they needed to protect their home court.

“It’s awesome,” Lloyd said. “We’ve got to win all our home games and at least 50 percent of them on the road.”

Meanwhile, Waco High, which opened 16-4A play with consecutive road games at Ennis and University, was hoping to nonetheless start district on a two-game winning streak.

“We stole one on Friday,” Waco High first-year coach Alan Andrus said about the Lions’ victory at Ennis. “We were hoping to steal another one here tonight. We’ve got to steal all of these that we can.”

Although Hall’s dunk brought a roar from the crowd in a packed University gym, Waco High (12-8, 1-1) edged out in front in the early going.

Dontae Hollis scored the Lions’ first six points and Datron Harris scored the final two baskets of the first quarter to put Waco High ahead, 12-9, after a period.

But University (10-10, 2-0) pulled in front with an 8-0 run late in the second quarter.

Vencent Finley, who finished with eight points and 10 rebounds, started the Trojans charge with an inside basket. Price, who didn’t score in the first quarter and didn’t really heat up until the third, hit a jump shot and Norris Alexander and Davionte Dobbins added baskets to put University up, 23-18.

The Trojans never trailed after that as they took a five-point lead to halftime.

Waco High hung around for a while in the third quarter until Price finished the period with a flurry.

The University guard completed a three-point play to give the Trojans their first 10-point lead at 39-29 with a little less than three minutes left in the quarter.

Price boosted the lead back to 10 by making a 3-pointer from the left side with 17 seconds left in the period.

That touched off the key sequence of the game.

Waco High pushed the ball back to its own end for what appeared to be the last shot of the quarter. But University center Kevin Thomas swatted a shot away in the lane and Price caught up to the ball near midcourt.

Price floated a shot from just past the center-court strip and, as the buzzer sounded, it banked in for another 3 that proved to be a dagger in the Lions’ chances to win another district road game.

Finley scored a pair of baskets in the paint on assists from Demond Williams to extend University’s lead to 16 points midway through the fourth quarter.

The Trojans play their first district road game when they play at Midway on Friday, while Waco High plays its first home game of the district campaign against Waxahachie.

cconine@wacotrib.com

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