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Lakers take 101-93 barnburner exhibition victory over Baseline USA
Sloan scores 23 points as Clayton State wins final tune-up for
2006-07 season
 MORROW,
Ga. — NOVEMBER 13, 2006 — The Clayton State Laker men’s
basketball team
got exactly what it bargained for and more in its second preseason
exhibition game of the 2006-07 season on Tuesday.
Playing host to Baseline USA, the Lakers needed every ounce and then
some to pull out a thrilling 101-93 victory at the Athletics and Fitness
Center. Clayton State, ranked in the Top 15 in two preseason Division II
polls, won both of its preseason games this season.
Every Clayton State player that saw action scored in this fast-paced
contest. Junior guard Michael Sloan paced the Lakers with 23 points,
while senior point Brandon Kelley scored 18 points. Senior Jeff Trotter
scored 10 points off the bench, while forwards John Beugnot and Brian
Kelly both added nine points.
Clayton State led by as many as 14 points in the first half, but could
not put away the scrappy Baseline squad. Twice, Baseline trimmed the
deficit to four points, including 32-28 on a lay-up by Jermaine Spivey
at the 4:49 mark. After the Lakers increased the lead to nine points on
a Trey Goss 3-point basket, Baseline finished the half on a 14-3 run.
Otis Lawson drained two straight 3-point baskets, and Spivey’s lay-up
with two seconds remaining knotted the score 42-42 at halftime.
Clayton State opened the second half with a seven-point lead twice as
Sloan drained a 3-point basket to give the Lakers a 55-48 lead with
16:33 remaining. Twice, Baseline USA trimmed the deficit to three
points, and then a 3-point basket by Adrian Jones made the Laker lead
only 64-63 with 10:19 remaining.
However, Clayton State responded. Aristide Sawadogo triggered a 9-0
Laker run with a baseline jump shot, followed by consecutive lay-ups by
Sloan. A free throw by reserve center Jerome Boyd made the Laker lead
73-63 with 8:25 remaining.
The Lakers took their largest lead in the second half 86-73 on a jump
shot by Beugnot at the 5:06 mark.
For the game, Clayton State shot 48 percent from the field, including 53
percent in the second half. The Lakers killed the smaller Baseline USA
team in the glass, out-rebounding it 58-36. Luis Rodriguez grabbed nine
rebounds for Clayton State, followed by Kelley and Boyd with eight and
Sloan and Sawadogo each had seven rebounds.
For Baseline USA, Jones scored 25 points to pace five Baseline players
in double-figures. Spivey scored 17 points, followed by DeJuan Clark
with 14 points and Joe Hamilton and Chris Jones each scored 12 points.
Baseline stayed within striking distance by knocking down a whopping 16
3-point baskets.
Clayton State opens the 2006-07 regular season at home against
Southeastern on Nov. 21 at 3 p.m. |
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