A great display of shooting and bench play helped the Georgia College and State University men’s basketball team to a 76-65 victory over conference rival Armstrong Atlantic State this past Saturday in Savannah.
GCSU shot 46.2 percent from the field and nearly 58 percent from behind the arc to sink the Pirates.
The story of the game, though, was in the first half. The Bobcats were lights out from three-point land at 69.2 percent! Holy smoke!
Add a solid defensive effort to the mix in the second half; the Bobcats were able to garner their eleventh victory of the campaign as opposed to two losses, while at the same time staying undefeated in Peach Belt Conference play. GCSU currently leads to the Peach Belt West at 4-0.
GCSU’s offensive calling card of dialing long distance was evident in the game. The Bobcats had three players in double figures: senior guard Ty Rowland set a new career high with 20, while senior guards Jake Rios and Graham Martin chipped in with 12.
Combined, all three players shot 8 of 14 from behind the arc at 57 percent!
Now the Bobcats must stay focused and prepare for the Columbus State University Cougars on Wednesday night. The Cougars sit at 7-5 overall, and 1-2 in PBC-West play.
One might think this should be a simple game for the Bobcats to win. However, Columbus State was the team earlier this season that upended Valdosta State University when the Blazers were ranked in the top five nationally.
Therefore, this is not a team to take lightly.
Led by junior guard Lamar Williams (14.1 points, 5 rebounds per game) from the outside, Columbus has a potent scorer and leader to direct the offense.
Also throw in the mix Donta Ridley (12.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 55 percent from the field), a 6’3 junior guard who loves to penetrate defenses with quick, agile moves.
Down low, the Cougars will look to senior forward Chris Telesford (11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds per game) for production in the paint. Telesford has strong post moves, an athletic body, and the ability to shoot outside the paint as well from the corners.
So what’s your point, you may be asking.
Georgia College must match up defensively with the Cougars. Senior point guard Ty Rowland (9.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.61 assists) will key in on Williams to help stop the scoring, while senior sharpshooter Jake Rios (14.4 points, 1.8 rebounds) will put pressure on Ridley.
Bobcat junior forward Josh Hurst (7.9 points, 6.5 rebounds) will be keyed in on Telesford. This presents one of the most intriguing matchups of the evening. Both are tall, quick, and athletic.
So, what are the keys for GCSU?
1) Georgia College must stop dribble penetration, especially with the type of zone defense the Bobcats resort to. If the Cougars are able to drive and dish, it might present problems for the Bobcats.
2) The Bobcats must shoot better from the free throw line. In the previous game against Armstrong Atlantic, the Bobcats were at 63 percent overall as a team. On the season the Bobcats are over 71.
3) Expect much of the quick-paced offense head coach Terry Sellers likes to run. If Rios, Martin, and Rowland get going early, this thing could get out of hand. Therefore, it’s crucial to get open looks at the basket and not force bad shots, especially the way the Bobcats like to shoot from deep. (GCSU is first in the PBC in three’s made per game at 11.1)
One thing I will be watching is the minutes of the subs. When combining the points of the three MAIN subs off the bench for each squad, the Bobcats out-score the Cougars by just one-tenth of a point. GCSU is at 15.6, while Columbus State is at 15.5.
If the three-ball is not falling early, look for Georgia College to push the ball inside more to Hurst, senior center Rob Thomas (6.1 points, 3.6 rebounds per game), and juniors Ryan Aquino (3.8 points, 5.1 rebounds per game) and Reece Wiedeman (7.5 points, 3.4 rebounds per game).
I’m sure we’ll learn more as the game progresses!
Chat with you from the Lumpkin Center at 7:20 on www.country102fm.com (wkzr link) or 102.3 fm in Milledgeville!
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