Lawrence Tech falls to Lourdes 70-60 in WHAC Tournament road matchup

Lourdes used a decisive second-half surge to hand Lawrence Tech a 70-60 defeat in WHAC Tournament play Thursday night in Sylvania, Ohio, overcoming a halftime deficit behind a strong defensive effort and a game-high 23 points from Adonus Abrams.

The Blue Devils led 33-31 at the break after a strong opening 20 minutes, but Lourdes outscored Lawrence Tech 39-27 in the second half to advance. Abrams fueled the comeback with 23 points on 11-for-19 shooting, seven rebounds and five steals, while Derek Fairley added 17 points and went a perfect 10-for-10 at the free-throw line, including two in the final 30 seconds that pushed the margin to 70-58 and effectively sealed the outcome.

Lawrence Tech controlled much of the first half by dictating pace and winning on the glass. A 3-pointer by Ramon Zapater gave the Blue Devils a 23-18 lead with 7:54 remaining in the first half, and his layup off a feed from Kerem Sariaslan moments later stretched the advantage to 25-18. Lourdes chipped away late in the half, but Lawrence Tech maintained its edge until a buzzer jumper by Lourdes’ Stephen Coleman Jr. trimmed the Blue Devils’ lead to 33-31 going into the locker room.

Momentum shifted quickly after halftime. Lourdes opened the second half with an early push, as J’Siah Jefferson scored in the lane to put the Gray Wolves in front 35-33, their first lead since the early stages. From there, Lourdes steadily built separation. Fairley knocked down a key 3-pointer with 12:50 to play to give Lourdes a 50-43 advantage, and Jefferson later converted a three-point play to make it 61-49 with just over eight minutes remaining, putting the Blue Devils in a double-digit hole.

Lawrence Tech continued to battle, relying on interior scoring and second-chance opportunities to stay within reach. The Blue Devils finished with a 43-35 edge on the glass, including 16 offensive rebounds, and converted efficiently at the foul line, going 13-for-15 (86.7 percent). However, Lourdes’ defense created problems throughout the night, limiting Lawrence Tech to 23-for-62 shooting (37.1 percent) and just 1-for-19 (5.3 percent) from beyond the arc, while forcing 15 turnovers that translated into transition chances and extra possessions.

Zapater led Lawrence Tech with 15 points on 7-for-14 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds to pace the frontcourt. Davin Walker added 12 points, five rebounds and two assists, while Luka Uzelac provided an efficient 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting to go with seven rebounds. The Blue Devils also received contributions on the glass from multiple players as they tried to counter Lourdes’ scoring balance and perimeter pressure.

Despite the loss, Lawrence Tech’s performance on the boards and at the free-throw line underscored the team’s ability to compete physically in postseason play. As WHAC Tournament action continues, the Blue Devils will look to build on their rebounding strength and first-half execution while addressing ball security and perimeter shooting in preparation for future postseason opportunities.