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For the second straight game in the 2008 Peach Belt Conference Tournament, Clayton State used a late run to pull off another big victory as the Lakers shocked 10th-ranked Augusta State 63-62 in the Peach Belt Conference quarterfinals at the USC-Aiken Convocation Center. Clayton State, which improves to 15-14 overall, eliminated Augusta State from the tournament for a second straight season. The Lakers will meet the winner of the Columbus State/Georgia College quarterfinal game in the Peach Belt Conference semifinals on Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Convocation Center. “This was a great win for us and it keeps us alive,” said Clayton State head coach Gordon Gibbons. “Every team’s goal is to win your conference championship and advance to the national tournament.” After struggling offensively for much of the first half and trailing by 11 points at halftime, Clayton State came alive in the second half. The Lakers opened the half on a 14-4 run to cut the Jaguar lead to one point as Tracy Williams converted a rare four-point play, followed by consecutive lay-ups by Brian Kelly, Will Lewis and Trey Goss. Augusta State increased its lead back to five points, but Clayton State again rallied to tie the game for the first time as Michael Sloan drained a 3-point basket to make the score 46-46 with 9:55 remaining. The Lakers then took their first lead of the game 50-48 as Williams scored on a jump shot and then converted two free throws at the 7:30 mark. With the score tied 50-50, Augusta State went on an 8-1 run to take a 58-51 lead. Demetrius Howard and Ben Madgen both drained 3-point baskets for the Jaguars, and then Madgen scored on a fastbreak lay-up with 3:09 remaining. That’s when Clayton State made its final move. Trailing 62-56, Sloan brought the Lakers to within three points with a 3-point basket at the top of the key with 1:10 remaining. Clayton State then forced a turnover in its press, leading to a game-tying 3-point basket by Bernard Fields with 58 seconds remaining. The defensive play of the game then occurred on Augusta State’s ensuing possession when Lewis recorded a big steal from the Jaguars’ Tyrekus Bowman with 58 seconds remaining. Lewis then gave Clayton State a one-point lead with 20 seconds remaining on a free throw. Augusta State had one final shot at the victory, but two jump shots by Bowman were off the mark as time expired. “This game was different from the most in that we were down early, but the biggest thing we preach to our guys is that you play the first half to get to the second half,” Gibbons said. “I thought we really responded in the second half with our defense and our press, and that’s always the key for us. “That was big when the game was on the line.” Williams scored a career-high 23 points for Clayton State, while Fields scored 11 points and Sloan added 10 points. In the second half, the Lakers were 6-for-11 (55 percent) from 3-point range. For Augusta State (22-6), Bowman, the Peach Belt Conference co-Player of the Year, scored 15 points, followed by Garret Siler with 12 points and Howard scored 11 points. |
