Georgia College outlasts Augusta 99-91 in overtime thriller

By Rodrigo Burgos Avila | Editor in Chief

A back-and-forth battle at Christenberry Fieldhouse ultimately went Georgia College’s way, as the Bobcats (7-2, 4-0 in PBC play) defeated Augusta (6-7, 2,2 in PBC play) 99–91 in overtime after 40 minutes of deadlocked basketball.

The win marked Georgia College’s fifth straight victory and ended a nine-game skid against Augusta, adding another layer of significance to the Bobcats’ overtime triumph.

Both teams came out firing, with each side knocking down its first three shots from the field. Augusta applied pressure early, using a full-court press for nearly 10 minutes in the first half while mixing defensive looks between man-to-man coverage and a 2–3 zone. Despite solid defensive possessions on both ends, shot-making dictated the pace of play.

Augusta cooled off midway through the opening period, which hurt its efficiency, as the Jaguars shot 35.5 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from three in the first half. Georgia College capitalized, shooting 45 percent before the break. The Jaguars held a slight rebounding edge, 20–17, but the Bobcats’ offensive rhythm kept the game tied at halftime. The first 20 minutes featured 10 lead changes and nine ties in a highly contested affair.

Georgia College guard CJ Jones was the story early and throughout, leading all scorers with 16 first-half points while shooting 70 percent from the field. Hailing from Sewanee, Georgia, the guard transferred to Georgia College this year after stating his collegiate career at Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

“I started getting downhill, got a couple of layups, and just stayed hot,” Jones said. “My three balls fell early, and that gave me the confidence to reach flow state.”

Jones added that scoring was not his focus entering the game.

“Going into the game, I wasn’t thinking about scoring the ball,” he said. “Coach has been on me about defense for the past two weeks, so it was really about doing whatever I had to do for us to win.”

Augusta countered with a balanced attack. Tobias Prall led the Jaguars with nine first-half points in just 11 minutes, followed by Elias Palsson with eight and Luis Nonfon with seven. While Nonfon struggled from the field early, shooting 1-for-7 in the opening half, Augusta’s depth helped keep the contest even.

The second half mirrored the first, as neither team could gain separation. Both teams scored 43 points in the period, and the game remained tight through the final buzzer, with TJ Baker forcing overtime with the score knotted at 81.

Georgia College continued to lean on Jones in the second half, and the sophomore guard delivered in every moment. He finished with a game-high 42 points on 14-of-21 shooting, including six three-pointers, and went a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line.

His performance was one of the most prolific scoring nights in program history, ranking second all-time for a Georgia College player. Only Leonard Scott’s 43-point outing against Piedmont during the 1977–78 season stands ahead of him.

Augusta received strong performances from multiple contributors down the stretch. Palsson finished with 22 points while shooting a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line, Prall added 18 points, and Baker scored 18 as he continued to find his rhythm after returning from an early preseason injury.

“It was rough watching my teammates put in the work and not being able to be with them,” Baker said. “I paced myself recovering and knew I had to come back and make a big impact.”

Despite shooting just 37.5 percent from the field in the second half, Augusta stayed competitive by attacking the glass and getting to the free throw line, finishing 29-of-36 from the stripe. However, Georgia College’s efficiency proved decisive, as the Bobcats shot 52.5 percent for the game and scored 46 points in the paint.

Overtime belonged to the Bobcats. Georgia College outscored Augusta 18–10 in the extra period, shooting 60 percent from the field and converting 11 of its 12 free throw attempts. Augusta struggled offensively in overtime, shooting 30 percent and failing to connect from beyond the arc.

After the game, head coach Dip Metress pointed to defense as the deciding factor.

“If somebody comes into your home and shoots 52 percent, you’re not winning, especially when we’re shooting 35 percent,” Metress said. “They scored almost 100 points, so it’s a tough night for the Jags. All the credit goes to the Bobcats tonight.”

The contest featured 19 lead changes and 18 ties, highlighting how evenly matched the teams were throughout regulation. Georgia College also held a significant advantage in bench scoring, outscoring Augusta’s reserves 37–18, which helped swing momentum late.

Augusta will look to clean up defensively as it moves forward, while Georgia College leaves Augusta with a hard-fought overtime victory. The Jags will be back in action on Thursday, Dec. 18 as they host Reinhardt University for the Columbia County Education Day. Tip-off is scheduled for 11 a.m.

Contact Rodrigo Burgos Avila at rburgosavila@augusta.edu.

At the top of the page, Tobias Prall (2) rises up for a deuce. He finished the night with 18 points. Below, TJ Baker bring the ball up the court during the second half action. (photos by Rodrigo Burgos Avila/the Bell Ringer)