Clayton State men debut with 87-30 rout over Martinique Golden Star
Fields paces three Lakers in double-figures with 18 points

MORROW, Ga. – November 7, 2008 – Fans got a first-hand glimpse of the Clayton State Laker men’s basketball team on Friday, and the home team did not disappoint the gathering at all.

Playing host to the Golden Star club from the island of Martinique, the Lakers had three players score in double figures in route to an easy 87-30 over the Golden Star at the Athletics and Fitness Center. This is the first of two preseason games for Clayton State before starting the 2008-09 regular season.

The Lakers will play host to Baseline USA next Friday.

Clayton State used its vaunted pressing defense to set the tone, and the Lakers forced 31 Golden Star turnovers for the game and limited Martinique to only 31 percent shooting from the field. Clayton State used an early 13-0 run to take control as Freddie Williams scored twice and Will Lewis drained consecutive 3-point baskets to give the Lakers a 17-2 lead at the 10:37 mark of the first half.

Three times, Clayton State led by 25 points in the first half. The last was 37-12 at halftime as Jaquas Dobbs scored on a lay-up with 34 seconds remaining.

The Lakers turned up the offensive intensity in the second half, shooting 57 percent (4-for-7) from 3-point range. A free throw by Bernard Fields made the Clayton State lead 47-17 with 14:27 remaining, and then Ricky Garrett’s lay-up at the 7:03 mark gave the Lakers a commanding 64-24 lead.

A Lewis 3-point basket with 5:14 remaining gave Clayton State a whopping 50-point lead, 76-26.

For the game, Clayton State shot 51 percent from the field, including 8-for-16 from 3-point range, and 70 percent from the free throw line. In addition, the Lakers out-rebounded the Golden Star 45-26. Of Clayton State’s 87 points, 42 came from the bench.

Fields, a senior wing from Statesboro, Ga., paced a balanced Clayton State scoring attack with 18 points on five 3-point baskets and 6-for-12 shooting from the field. Williams scored 14 points on 5-for-6 from the field in his Laker debut, while Dobbs scored 11 points.

In addition, Lewis scored nine points on a perfect 3-for-3 shooting from 3-point range, while junior center Michael Thorogood added eight points and four rebounds off the bench. Sophomore Jonathan Austin recorded seven assists off the bench.

Celestine Wesley scored 15 points for the Golden Star.