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With
four players scoring in double-figures, Clayton State knocked off
in-state rival Georgia College 70-60 in the semifinals of the Peach
Belt Conference Tournament at Lander on Saturday. The victory
advances the 18th-ranked Lakers to the Peach Belt title
game for the second time in the last three seasons. Clayton
State will meet in-state rival Columbus State in the championship
game on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Lander’s Horne Arena. Columbus State
defeated USC-Aiken 70-64 in overtime in the other women’s
semifinal. “I’m
happy for the players,” said Clayton State head coach Dennis Cox,
whose team improved to 24-5 on the season. “We hit a lull in the
middle of conference play, but when we’ve needed big victories,
these ladies have stepped it up.” It
wasn’t a pretty offensive performance for Clayton State. The
Lakers shot only 32 percent from the field and only 25 percent from
3-point range. However, Clayton State limited Georgia College to
only 35 percent shooting from the field and only 23 percent shooting
from 3-point range. Clayton
State led by as many as 11 points early as Georgia College was only
1-for-12 from the field to start the game. However, Georgia College
closed out the half on a 10-0 run to cut the Laker lead to only two
points at halftime, 27-25. “As
much as I hated that, sometimes we get complacent when we’re up by
10-15 points at halftime,” Cox said. “That slight lead kept us
humble and focused.” Indeed
it did, as the Lakers would need every ounce of energy and effort to
fend off the determined Lady Bobcats. There were five ties and five
lead changes in the second half before Clayton State took the lead
for good on an inside jump shot by Lynette Jackson with 11:17
remaining. The
Lakers increased the lead to as much as nine points before Georgia
College trimmed the deficit to three points, 62-59 on a 3-point
basket by Emily Bixler with 2:23 remaining. However, Clayton State
answered with six free throws down the stretch, finishing the game
on an 8-1 run. Crystal
Brown and Sharon Wiles each scored 14 points for Clayton State,
while Roberta Phillips scored 11 points and Lynette Jackson scored
10 points for the Lakers. For Georgia College (20-9), Ashley
Williams scored 17 points, while Marquita Driskell recorded a
double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Bixler added 12 points
for the Lady Bobcats. “We
were very fortunate to win this game because it’s hard to beat a
good team three times in one season,” Cox said. “Georgia College
played so hard and they are a tough match up for us with their size
and quickness.” |
can be a monumental task for some, but not for the Clayton State
Laker women’s basketball team.