Defiance Blows Past Thiel to Advance to P&G Championship

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance improved to 50-15 all time in the Purple and Gold Financial Tournament and advanced into Sunday’s championship game with an impressive 69-49 victory over Thiel on Saturday night. DC will take on Tri-State at 3:00 pm after the Thunder stunned Loras at the buzzer for a 66-65 win.

The Jackets got off to a sluggish start on offense over the game’s opening moments, slipping to a 4-0 deficit, before C.J. Johnson put DC on the board with a jumper at the 17:40 mark. Nick Sefcsik answered with a layup on Thiel’s next possession but it would be all Defiance from that point on as it outscored the Tomcats 39-7 over the remainder of the first half.

Nick Sales knotted the score at 6-6 with two-straight layups and Anthony Pettaway connected on a layup and a dunk to give DC the 10-6 lead with 12:44 to play. The Jackets would proceed to score the game’s next eight points, capping a 16-0 spurt and taking command at 18-6 with 9:40 to go.

DC showcased a balanced attack in the run as Johnson, Sales, Pettaway and Anthony Jackson each scored four points during the stretch.

The Jackets would continue to distance themselves, using a tenacious effort on the defensive side of the ball to force 20 Thiel turnovers in the opening half. DC piled up 15 steals and held a 17-0 edge in points off turnovers in the first stanza, en route to taking a 41-13 lead at the half.

The lead would swell to 31 on DC’s first touch after intermission as Jackson knocked down a trey to make it 44-13. The game would never be in doubt from that point on, as Defiance cruised to the 69-49 victory.

Johnson hit three shots from long range and ended with a game-high 18 points to lead Defiance, while also turning in five steals and three assists. Pettaway was the only other Yellow Jacket in double figures with 15 points in 19 minutes.

Jackson and Sales each tacked on eight points, while Deon Thompson collected six steals in 13 minutes and Mike Floyd had his best outing since returning with five points, four assists, two steals and a pair of rebounds in 18 minutes.

Defiance (7-4) will try for its 18th P&G Tournament Championship in the 33 years of the event when it hosts Tri-State (3-6) on Sunday at 3:00 pm.

Sunday’s consolation contest will tip at 1:00 pm and feature Loras (7-3) and Thiel (5-3).