Behind a balanced attack, AU takes down Clayton State
By Rodrigo Burgos Avila | Editor in chief
The Augusta University men’s basketball team earned a 67–58 win over Clayton State on Wednesday night, Jan. 7, at Christenberry Fieldhouse, using balanced scoring, strong bench play and defensive consistency to control the game from start to finish.
Augusta led for over 37 minutes and never allowed Clayton State to find a sustained rhythm offensively, holding the Lakers to 34.0 percent shooting from the field and just 12.5 percent from 3-point range. The Jaguars took a 34–30 lead into halftime before pulling away in the second half with improved efficiency and defensive execution.
The Jaguars shot 47.8 percent from the field in the second half and limited Clayton State to 28 points over the final 20 minutes. Augusta’s depth proved to be a major factor, as the Jaguars’ bench outscored Clayton State’s reserves 29–4.
Evan Joyner lead the Jaguars, giving them a huge spark off the bench with 10 points on an efficient 5-of-7 shooting, followed by Daniel Daramola and Tobias Prall, both with nine points. Rodney Scott and Charlie McBeath rounded up the balanced AU attack with eight points apiece.
Despite the win, AU coach Dip Metress emphasized that his young roster still has areas to clean up moving forward.
“We have got to learn, with young guys, how to do the right things,” Metress said. “This is what’s causing us to lose games.”
Metress also pointed to specific execution mistakes that continue to be teaching moments for his team.
“Lu (Luis Nonfon), he can’t run off the ball like that,” Metress said. “Rodney (Scott) has got to hit his free throws.”
Augusta won the rebounding battle 39–33 and forced 12 Clayton State turnovers, turning defense into timely scoring opportunities to maintain control throughout the contest.
The Jaguars will look to build on the win when they travel to Greenwood, S.C., to face the Lander Bearcats on Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
Contact Rodrigo Burgos Avila at rburgosavila@augusta.edu.
Note: At the top of the page, Jaguar guard Rodney Scott (3) goes up for a layup against the tough defense by Clayton State. (photo by Lydia Williams/the Bell Ringer)
