Bucs Fall to East Georgia State

Shelton State Falls to East Georgia State

TUSCALOOSA – The Shelton State men's basketball team dropped its first game of the season, falling 80-70 to East Georgia State on the second day of the 2024 Southland International Veterans Day Classic at the Umphrey Center.

Shelton State jumped out to an 8-0 lead on a pair of three-pointers by sophomore guard Kuron Coleman and a layup by sophomore center Hasani Rivera. East Georgia State scored the next seven points and eventually tied the game at 14-14. The Bobcats took their first lead of the game at 27-26 on Jakaden Barkley free throw with six minutes left in the half. ZyQuan Grant's three-pointer gave the Bobcats the lead for good at 27-26.

East Georgia State (3-1) led 38-33 at halftime and quickly pushed the lead to double digits in the early stages of the second half and took its biggest lead at 56-42 on a layup by Fred Seabrough with 13:52 left in the game.

Shelton State (1-1) sophomore guard Troy Dunn tried to bring the Bucs back in the second half.  He scored 13 of his 14 points in the final 20 minutes. He was 6-for-11 from the field for the Bucs.

The Bobcats sealed the win by making all 14 free throws in the second half. Overall, East Georgia State was 20-for-23 at the foul line.

Coleman led the Bucs with 16 points, including four three-pointers in the first half. Sophomore guard Nazir Griffin added 12 points and was 6-for-6 at the free throw line.

Jaylen Harris led all scorers with 20 points in the game. He was one of five Bobcats in double figures.

Shelton State will face South Georgia Tech on Friday at 5 p.m. to close out the tournament.

In other games on Thursday.

Lawson State 68, South Georgia Tech 60

Jaylen Carrington and Gair Bair combined for 36 points in the Cougars win over the Jets. Carrington led all scorers with 22 points, including a perfect 9-for-9 at the free throw line. Bair added 14 points, including a pair of three-pointers. Lawson State led 56-32 in the second half before South Georgia Tech used a 19-1 run to cut the deficit to 57-51.  The Cougars withstood the run and held on for the win. Hendrens Bartelus (18) and Jordon Dickson (10) paced the Jets on offense.

Gadsden State 88, Gordon State 78

Gadsden State held off a late second-half rally to down Gordon State, 88-78. The Cardinals led 46-34 at halftime and had a seemingly commanding 16-point lead in the final nine minutes. Gordon State sophomore Jamari Piercy almost single-handedly brought the Highlanders back with a jaw-dropping 48 points in the loss. Piercy drained a three-pointer that cut the deficit to 74-70 but could get no closer. Keishawn Watkins and Cristian Willis both had 20 points for Gadsden State. Watkins paced the Cardinals with 24 points and key free throws down the stretch. Willis had 20 points, 16 coming in the first half. He made four three-pointers. Amare Adams (13) and Malachi Stevens (11) were also in double figures for Gordon State.

Thursday Results

Lawson State 68, South Georgia Tech 60

Gadsden State 88, Gordon State 78

East Georgia State 80, Shelton State 70

Friday's Schedule

Lawson State vs. Gordon State (1 p.m.)

Gadsden State vs. East Georgia State (3 p.m.)

Shelton State vs. South Georgia Tech (5 p.m.)

Wednesday, Results

East Georgia State 85, Lawson State 84

Gadsden State 82, South Georgia Tech 73

Shelton State 72, Gordon State 70