Weber State basketball hopes 3-point shooting back on track after blowout of Lincoln University
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- Weber State guard Blaise Threatt (0) drives against Lincoln University on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.
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- Weber State guard Trevor Hennig (6) rises to shoot against Lincoln University on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.
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- Weber State center Alex Tew dunks against Lincoln University on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.
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- Weber State guard Trevor Hennig (6) shoots against Lincoln University’s Michael Washington (9) on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.
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- Weber State guard Miguel Tomley (3) shoots a 3-pointer against Lincoln University on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.
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- Weber State guard Blaise Threatt looks for a pass against Lincoln University on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.
OGDEN — Men’s college coaches being somewhat risk-averse, and some of them waiting to complete schedules until they know what transfers potential opponents have brought in, are some factors that lead to a game like Wednesday night’s — another where the win-loss result is known before the ball tips.
If Weber State men’s basketball gained just one thing from the night’s blowout of Lincoln University (California), the team hopes it’s 3-point shooting. The Wildcats have yet to consistently put together a string of shooting performances that meet their expectations entering the season, but perhaps going 17 of 32 helps get things back on track.
“Each game is its own separate entity but when they see the ball go in the basket … it helps your confidence,” WSU head coach Eric Duft said. “With Viljami (Vartianen), Miggy (Tomley) and Dyson (Koehler), we haven’t really had them all three on the same night making shots for us on the wing. That’s coming.”
The Wildcats scored 73 points in the first half on the way to a 128-58 thrashing of the visiting Oaklanders, a non-NCAA team from Oakland coached by Will Middlebrooks, the namesake of the California prep academy attended by former Wildcat Chris Dockery and current Wildcat Saadiq Moore.
The Oaklanders possessed a bit more offensive skill than other non-NCAA opponents to take the court at the Dee Events Center this season, with Claude McKesey’s craftiness (18 points) and Laolu Kalejaiye’s 3-point shooting (four 3s for 12 points) keeping Weber State’s runs from getting too out of hand.
Still, when Nigel Burris splashed home a 3-pointer to open the second half, Weber State was 13 of 19 from behind the arc and in the midst of a 20-0 run. Nine Wildcats made at least one 3-pointer and seven scored in double digits.
Blaise Threatt put in easy work, totaling 18 points and 10 rebounds in 17 minutes to lead Weber State (6-6).
Serbian cousins Nemanja and Marko Sarenac got rolling for the Wildcats. Nemanja Sarenac shot 5 of 7 from distance to score 17 points and Marko Sarenac added 15 points and seven rebounds.
“Marko has practiced much harder, he’s played with much more toughness, urgency,” Duft said. “It’s good to see. He’s a talented kid, we’ve just got to keep that tenacity, that edge in his game to help him play well.
“Nemanja really shot it in tonight, and that was good to see.”
The two combined for five assists, with at least three of them thrown to each other — and with Marko’s mother and brother in the stands.
“Playing with your cousin is something you dream when you start as a kid so yeah, it was pretty good,” Nemanja Sarenac said. “Great feeling being out there passing to each other, just playing like little kids. It brings lots of memories back.”
Miguel Tomley scored 13 points, Burris and Trevor Hennig each added 12, and Alex Tew dunked five times for 10 points.
Moore, the freshman point guard, totaled six points, eight rebounds and five assists, and freshman center Declan Cutler pulled down nine rebounds.
“Saadiq Moore on Monday, he really turned the corner with how aggressive he’s been,” Duft said. “We’ve just got to keep those young players aggressive so they can help us in league play.”
Weber State next prepares to host Utah Valley (6-6) on Saturday. Senior wing Dyson Koehler sat Wednesday as a precaution owing to his sprained ankle two weeks ago but is expected to play going forward.
BOX SCORE
Lincoln — 29 29 58
Weber State — 73 55 128
Lincoln (58): McKesey 18, Kalejaiye 12, Ruben 10, Russ 6, Williams 5, Washington 4, Ballah 3
Weber State (128): Threatt 18, N Sarenac 17, M Sarenac 15, Tomley 13, Burris 12, Hennig 12, Tew 10, Vucinic 8, Vartiainen 6, Moore 6, Cutler 6, Younan 5
