Vandals finish group play

1-2 at China tourney

SUZHOU, China — The University of Idaho men’s basketball team closed out group play at the Atlas Challenge on Thursday, falling to Macedonia 69-67. The Vandals finished the opening round 1-2.

Macedonia brought an American-heavy roster featuring four athletes that played college ball in the U.S. All four played 23-plus minutes and contributed 53 of Macedonia’s 69 points.

Playing its third game in three days, Idaho led for the majority of the game on Thursday but could not hold on. The Vandals led late, 67-59, but Macedonia responded to close out the game on a 10-0 run and claim the win.

Victor Sanders led the Vandals with 11 points. Nick Blair added nine points off the bench, and led the team with nine boards and three assists.

Xavier Thames, who played at Washington State and San Diego State, led the way for Macedonia with 23 points, including 4 of 7 from beyond the arc.

The Vandals will likely move to the losers’ bracket where they will take on the third and fourth ranked teams from Group A. The next game will take place on Saturday.

Bayley tied for sixth

at midway point

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Derek Bayley, the former Lakeland High star who recently completed his sophomore season at Washington State, is tied for sixth after the second round of the 101st Southwestern Amateur at the Desert Mountain Club.

Bayley, the first-round leader after shooting a 5-under 65 on the Cochise Course, shot a 1-over 71 on Thursday on the Geronimo Course. He is at 4-under 136, three strokes off the lead.

The 72-hole event runs through Saturday.