Clemson defeats UAB basketball in the Asheville Championship.

Clemson defeats UAB basketball in the Asheville Championship.
Clemson defeats UAB basketball in the Asheville Championship.

A little “Jelly” may be in the veins of Eric Gaines and Efrem “Butta” Johnson, who made game-winning 3-pointers in the closing seconds of a back-and-forth contest.

But a late blocking foul sealed the Blazers’ doom on Friday, Nov. 10, in the Asheville Championship at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, N.C. The Blazers lost to Clemson 77-76.

UAB (0-2) shot 11 of 16 free throws, 41 percent from three-point range, and 47 percent overall.

The Blazers had a plus-13 rebounding advantage despite giving up 14 turnovers and dominating the rebounding battle before Javian Davis and Yaxel Lendeborg fouled out halfway through the second half.

After falling behind by as many as eight points in the first half, UAB came back to take a 4-point lead off a 10-0 run.

Davis and Gaines’ clutch 3-pointer and two free throws gave UAB a 42-39 lead at the half.

With 7:01 left in the game, the Blazers led 67-58 after starting the second half with a 9-3 run and holding off a scoring surge from Clemson with an 8-2 run.

Alejandro Vazquez fouled Ian Schieffelin on a dunk after he made a layup to extend the UAB lead to nine points.

This led to a three-point play and a 14-0 run by Clemson to regain the lead at the final media timeout, 72-67.

In the closing seconds of the game, PJ Hall of Celmson countered with a layup and the harm to give the Tigers a 2-point lead.

Gaines and Jonnson had previously made two 3-pointers to put UAB ahead 73-72.

Johnson scored a three-pointer again to put the Blazers ahead, but Shaver’s blocking call allowed Clemson to win on two free throws.

Again, Johnson hit a three to put the Blazers ahead, but Shaver’s blocking call allowed Clemson to win on two free throws.

Gaines led UAB with a game-high eighteen points on seven of his seventeen attempts, while Johnson finished with seventeen points.

Davis and Lendeborg combined for fourteen points and eleven rebounds before fouling out, while Vasquez scored eleven points and Tony Toney added six points.

The Asheville Championship third-place game between the Blazers and Maryland takes place on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 11:30 a.m. CT on ESPN2.

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