2008-09 Media
Guide |
Aiming to halt a three-game losing streak on Saturday against visiting Lander, the Lakers could not hold on to a double-digit lead in the second half and missed a free throw with no time remaining in the clock to drop a tough 61-60 Peach Belt Conference defeat against Lander at the Athletics and Fitness Center. The defeat drops the Lakers to 9-4 overall and 2-4 in the Peach Belt. Clayton State shot 46 percent from the field in the first half and led 35-24 at halftime. Then the Lakers appeared in complete control, ahead 46-33 on a baseline jump shot by Will Lewis at the 11:33 mark. That’s when Lander (8-4, 4-2 PBC) went on a 22-4 run over the next seven minutes to take a five-point lead. Three straight 3-point baskets, including two by Dane Sparrow, cut the Clayton State lead to 46-44 with 9:47 left. A jump shot by Houston Wright off a Laker turnover tied the game at 46-46 with 8:15 left. Clayton State briefly regained the lead, but the Bearcats responded as Curtis Milner converted a 3-point play to give Lander a 51-48 lead at the 5:28 mark. The Bearcats increased the lead to 55-50 in a top-in by Milner with 4:20 remaining. Another 3-point basket by Sparrow gave Lander a 58-53 lead at the 2:12 mark. Clayton State came back. Jaquas Dobbs converted a lay-up, followed by two free throws by Bernard Fields to trim the Bearcat lead to 58-57 at the 1:34 mark. Fields hit another free throw to tie the game at 58-58 with 1:09 remaining. Two straight Lander turnovers, including an offensive foul by Ford Lawrence with 26 seconds left, gave the Lakers a final opportunity. Off the inbounds pass, Clayton State’s Brian Kelly was fouled away from the ball with 12 seconds remaining. Kelly hit 1-of-2 from the free throw to give Clayton State a 59-58 lead. Lander got possession in which Lawrence penetrated the lane and found an open Kevin Kelley on the left wing for a 3-point basket with four seconds remaining and the Bearcats led 61-59. With final chance to either tie or win the game, Clayton State’s Freddie Williams drove to the hole and was fouled with four-tenths of a second remaining. Williams sank the first free throw, but his second went in-and-out as time expired. Williams paced Clayton State with 17 points, while Dobbs scored 12 points off the bench. Free throw shooting was the Lakers’ Achilles’ Heel, converting only 17-for-31 from the charity stripe. Sparrow scored 14 points for Lander, while Wright scored 13 points. Clayton State aims to get back on the winning track at in-state rival Georgia College on Monday at 7:30 p.m. |
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MORROW,
Ga. – January 17, 2009 –