For Immediate Release: Saturday, 8 November 2003
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Sports Information Director (956) 381-2240

BRONCS DOWN HOUSTON QUEST

EDINBURG, TX-In each of their two exhibition games, The University of Texas-Pan American's men's basketball team has had all 13 players score, and has broken the 110 point mark.

The Broncs did it again Saturday night, defeating Houston Quest, 111-59, at the UTPA Fieldhouse.

Texas-Pan American started slowly. The Broncs didn't score until junior guard Sergio Sanchez (San Antonio, TX/South Antonio HS/Temple College) and junior forward Matt Berry (Tulsa, OK/Booker T. Washington HS/Indiana State) hit back-to-back three-pointers to give UTPA the lead for good nearly five minutes into the first half. An 18-5 run midway through the first half gave the Broncs a commanding lead, 33-15, with 7:09 remaining.

UTPA made 48.8 per cent of their shots in the first half, 54.3 per cent in the second half, and shot 51.3 per cent for the game. The Broncs outrebounded the Quest, 50-30, and grabbed 21 offensive rebounds.

Junior forward Chris Fagan (Bronx, NY/Storm King HS/Trinidad State) and junior guard Ray Castillo (San Antonio, TX/South San Antonio HS/Temple College) led Texas-Pan American with 16 points each. Junior center Alvaidas Gedminas (Plunge, Lithuania/ LaiviteHS/Kirtland CC) added 12, and Berry and senior forward Andrius Sakalys (Vilnius, Lithuania/M. Dauksos HS/Eastern Oklahoma State) each scored 11.

Berry grabbed 12 rebounds, and Sanchez and junior guard Eric Montalvo (La Joya, TX/La Joya HS) each had five assists. Kris O'Neal had 21 points for the Quest, and Trey Austin added 19.

"We did start off a little slowly, but then we picked it up," said UTPA Head Coach Bob Hoffman. "We did a good job of taking whatever they gave us, and that's something we have to be able to do. After we got it going, we didn't have any dips. I thought we did a better job of getting second chance points tonight than we did Tuesday night."

The Broncs will return to action when they open their season against Southern Methodist at South Padre Island November 22nd.

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