Bucs Fall to South Georgia Tech to Cap off Southland International Veterans Day Classic

Shelton State Falls to South Georgia Tech

TUSCALOOSA – The Shelton State men's basketball team dropped a 63-57 decision to South Georgia Tech in the final game of the 2024 Southland International Veterans Day Classic at the Umphrey Center.

Both teams struggled to score in the hard-fought defensive game. Shelton State shot just 36.5 (19-for-52) percent from the field. South Georgia shot just 37.7 (20-for-53) form the floor. The two teams combined to make only 6-of-33 three-pointers in the game. 

Shelton State (1-2) was led in scoring by sophomores Kuron Coleman and Troy Dunn, who had 15 points each. Coleman was 4-for-7 from the floor and made three 3-pointers. Dunn made five field goals and five free throws in the game.

South Georgia Tech (1-2) had three players in double figures, including Aiden Fitzgerald (14), Hendrens Bartelus (13) and Matija Vucic (12).

After a back-and-forth game for much of the second half, South Georgia Tech took the lead for good at 49-48 on layup by Vucic with 7:24 left in the game.

South Georgia Tech scored the first seven points and lead 15-4 before the Bucs made a first-half charge. Shelton State tied the game at 28-28 and took its first lead, 30-28, on Darius Brant's jumper with 3:28 left in the half. The Bucs led 33-32 at halftime Coleman's three-pointer with one second left on the clock.

In other games on Friday:

Lawson State 77, Gordon State 67

Lawson State (2-1) never trailed in its 77-67 win over Gordon State. The game was tied briefly at 18-18 in the first half, before the Cougars took the lead for good at the nine-minute mark. Ikemba Otuonye, Jaylen Carrington and Keaton Cross combined for 55 points in the win. Otuonye, who scored the game's first six points, paced the Cougars with 21 points. Carrington added 18 points and made 4 three-pointers. Cross tallied 16 points and eight of nine free throws. Gordon State (0-3) was led in scoring by a pair of Division I prospects. Malachi Stevens led the way with 20 points. He finished the tournament with 41 points. Jamari Piercy scored 12 points. Piercy led all tournament scorers with 75 points in three games, including a tournament record 48 points in the loss to Gadsden State on Thursday.

Gadsden State 96, East Georgia State 93

Gadsden State outlasted East Georgia State 96-93 in the highest-scoring game of the tournament. The teams combined for 189 points in the thriller. Gadsden State held a 31-16 lead in the first half and led 89-79 with three minutes to play, but each time East Georgia rallied. The Bobcats trailed 31-16 midway through the first half but closed the half on a 23-9 run to pull to within one point (40-39) at halftime. The Bobcats trailed by 10 with three minutes left, but the late comeback fell short as Fred Seabrough's potential game-tying three-pointer hit the rim as time expired. Gadsden State (3-0) had four players in double figures, including Keshawn Watkins, who led all scorers with 27 points. Cristin Wills added 19 points, including 13 in the second haff. Mehki Fitts and Demarreon Baldwin both had 16 points.  Jaylen Harris (15), Jalen Gallman (15) and Jaylin Frazier (13).

Tournament Scoring Leaders

Jamari Piercy, Gordon State             75

Keshawn Watkins, Gadsden State     60

Jaylen Harris, East Georgia              52

Jalen Gallman, East Georgia             51

Mekhi Fitts, Gadsden State               50

Cristian Willis, Gadsden State           49

Jaylen Carrington, Lawson State       44

Malachi Stevens, Gordon State         41

Kuron Coleman, Shelton State          39

Troy Dunn, Shelton State                 39

Ikemba Otuonye, Lawson State        39

Hendrens Bartelus, S. Ga. Tech        38

Christian Burnett, Gordon State       35

Aiden Fitzgerald, S. Ga. Tech           34

Demarreon Baldwin, Gadsden State      34

Friday's Schedule

Lawson State 77, Gordon State 67

Gadsden State 96, East Georgia State 93

South Georgia Tech 63, Shelton State 57

Thursday Results

Lawson State 68, South Georgia Tech 60

Gadsden State 88, Gordon State 78

East Georgia State 80, Shelton State 70

Wednesday, Results

East Georgia State 85, Lawson State 84

Gadsden State 82, South Georgia Tech 73

Shelton State 72, Gordon State 70