FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Clayton State University men's basketball team overcame a halftime deficit to take down Fort Valley State University, 79-69, at the Health and Physical Education Complex on Tuesday evening.
The Lakers started off the first half with an emphatic dunk by
Baqi Lecky and a pair of jumpers by
Tyler Shirley which made the score, 6-4. After Fort Valley State went up 9-8, a layup by
Kennedy Brown started a 7-0 run and made the score 14-8.
Keandre Bowles tossed in five points during that stretch. After the Wildcats cut the Laker lead to two at 14-12,
Wes Williams,
Elijah Dates, and
Travis Harper II combined for the next 12 points and made the score, 26-19. Williams and Dates both knocked down three-balls.
After
Aaron Pitts made a jumper to make the score, 28-19, Fort Valley State went on a run. With 4:55 left in the half, they went on a 20-3 run and went into the halftime break up 39-31. Dates and Pitts both made free throws for the Lakers during that run.
Halftime: Fort Valley State 39, Clayton State 31
After the Wildcats opened the second half with a jumper, the Lakers got hot and closed the gap. Harper II and Williams drilled back-to-back threes and moved the score to 41-37. Harper II made four three-balls in the game. At the score 43-37, the Lakers continued to keep the pressure on the Wildcat defense as they went on an 8-0 run and led 45-43. At the score, 49-47, Harper II continued his offensive onslaught in the second half and tossed in the next eight Laker points and moved the score to 55 all. Then, Bowles took over offensively and sparked a 16-5 run and the Lakers jumped out to a 71-60 lead. Keandre scored six points during that run while Harper II and Brown scored four points each.
With three minutes left, the Wildcats made the game interesting and cut the Laker lead to four at 73-69. For the final two minutes of the game, the Lakers locked down defensively and saw Pitts score the final eight points as they went onto win the game, 79-69.
GAME VITALS
Final: Clayton State 79, Fort Valley State 69
Records: Clayton State: 3-4 | Fort Valley State: 1-9
Location: Health and Physical Education Complex | Fort Valley State University | Fort Valley, Ga.
QUICK HITS
- Harper II led the Lakers with 20 points and shot 4-for-7 from the three-point line. Travis scored 18 points of his 20 points in the second half.
- Bowles followed behind tallying 13 points off the bench.
- After making his first start of the season, Pitts contributed 11 and went 5-for-7 from the field.
- Lecky and Harper II led the Lakers with nine boards
- The Lakers out rebounded the Wildcats, 46-38
- This is the first time since 1999 that these two teams played each other.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Lakers continue their road trip as they play in the Century Retail Christmas Classic, hosted by Florida Southern College, on Saturday, December 16
th through Sunday, December 17
th. The Lakers play Barry University on Saturday at 5 p.m. before playing host Florida Southern on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Please visit claytonstatesports.com for live links and to follow your Lakers all season long!
Be sure to follow Clayton State Athletics on
Twitter,
Instagram and
Facebook.
