By Stan Caldwell
stanmansportsfan.com
HATTIESBURG – Steve Knight wasn’t completely happy with his team’s performance Friday night, but he liked the bottom line.
The Crusaders overcame an 11-point deficit in the second half and held on to defeat Middle Georgia State 88-85 in a Southern States Athletic Conference game at Clinton Gymnasium.
WCU (6-3 overall) won its fourth straight game and improved to 3-0 in the league. Middle Georgia dropped to 6-2 and 1-2.
Senior Leito Holloway keyed a 15-0 run that turned that 11-point margin into a lead that Carey would never relinquish.
“I thought at times we didn’t have a lot of energy,” said Knight. “Then after we went on that big run to get the lead, we had numerous chances to put them away, and we just couldn’t do it.
“But I’m happy with the win. The way our league is this year, winning at home is crucial, because there are so many good teams, and we’re all about even, that the road is going to be extremely tough.”
Holloway, a 6-foot-4 guard from Charlotte, N.C., had 23 of his game-high 27 points in the second half, taking over after the Crusaders fell behind 66-55 with 9:44 to play in the game.
“Coach Knight said we need to buy in as a collective effort on defense,” said Holloway. “We were giving up too many easy buckets, so we had to come together a team and get some stops.”
Senior Branden Sheppard got Carey going with a three-point play on a lay-up and a free throw. Holloway swished a 3-point shot, then tied it up with another lay-up and free throw with 7:53 to play.
“I just focused on trying to create for my teammates,” said Holloway. “Our offense was kind of stagnant; we were just passing the ball around.
“My teammates told me to drive the gaps, then kick it out to the open man. Once they started focusing on other guys, it allowed me to get open.”
A see-saw first half saw the Crusaders grab an eight-point lead 27-19, only to see the Knights rally with a 10-0 run to take the lead. Middle Georgia closed the half with a 7-0 run to lead 43-36 at halftime.
“Their zone, the 1-2-2, bothered us a bit in the first half,” said Knight. “They got us back on our heels, and we lost our aggressiveness. We couldn’t make shots, we didn’t go get offensive rebounds and we were just stagnant.”
Carey came out with a different offensive game plan in the second half, and was able to close on the Knights, with Sheppard getting active down low for a lay-up and a couple of slams.
“We wanted to bring the men out to the corner and stretch them out, then drive and kick,” said Sheppard, who finished with 17 points. “They’re always a good defensive team. We just had to come out and execute our game plan.”
However, an offensive dry spell helped the Knights build their lead midway through the second half. Carey missed six straight shots – including four 3-point attempts – and committed three turnovers, the third turning into a fast-break lay-up that game MGSC an 11-point lead.
“We just decided to run and jump,” said Knight. “We hadn’t pressed them a whole lot. Adrian Williams was really active in that stretch, then Leito was able to get in transition, get a couple of and-ones.”
The Crusaders couldn’t put the Knights away, however, and a four-point play – a 3-pointer after a missed second foul shot and an offensive rebound – tied the game 80-80 with 1:55 to play.
But Sheppard made one of two free throws, then a turnover gave Carey the ball back, and Holloway beat the 30-second shot clock with a 3-pointer that gave the Crusaders a four-point margin, and that was just enough.
Tyrone Young has 24 points and Darrell White added 22 points for Middle Georgia, which shot 54.0 percent from the field (34 of 63) for the game. However, Carey had a big edge at the foul line, converting 23 of 28 free throws.
Friday’s game was the start of a tough three-game span of games for the Crusaders, who host seventh-ranked (NAIA) Faulkner on Sunday, then top-ranked LSU-Alexandria comes into Clinton Gym next Saturday.
“This gives us a jump-start on our little journey this week,” said Holloway. “We had to start strong.”
Carey was also a winner in the women’s game, trouncing the Knights 71-50, improving to 2-4 overall and 2-1 in the SSAC.
The two teams went to halftime tied 27-27, but the Lady Crusaders took command in the third quarter, outscoring Middle Georgia 18-9, then blew it open in the final period to win going away.
Junior Danyelle Lewis scored 18 points to lead Carey, junior Savannah Richardson added 17 points off the bench and senior Shantavis Hughes had 14 points. Junior Rachel Thompson had 13 rebounds, 11 on the defensive end.
Dexshalyn Polite scored 12 points to lead MGSC (5-5, 1-2). Sunday’s games against Faulkner will tip off at 2 p.m. for the women and approximately 4 p.m. for the men
Carey Basketball Summaries
Friday at Clinton Gymnasium
WOMEN
William Carey 71, Middle Georgia State 50
MGS 15 12 9 14 – 50
WCU 18 9 18 26 – 71
MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE (5-5, 1-2 in SSAC): Joy Sadler 6, Ilyn Spann 4, Kianna Dalas 2, Kimora McClinic 4, Dexshalyn Polite 12, Gabby Hill 7, Mariah Scott 9, Tra’Ceria Dunn 6. TOTALS – FG 18-61 (3FG 5-23), FT 9-14 (50).
WILLIAM CAREY (2-4, 2-1 in SSAC): Savannah Richardson 17, Danyelle Lewis 18, Shantavis Hughes 14, Jada Jones 4, Rachel Thompson 6 (13 rebounds), Mallory Thompson 2, Michaela Terry 10. TOTALS – FG 24-59 (3FG 10-21), FT 13-22 (71).
MEN
William Carey 88, Middle Georgia State 85
MGS 43 42 – 85
WCU 36 52 – 88
MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE (6-2, 1-2 in SSAC): Antony Edwards 12, Kevin Ford 7, Tyrone Young 24, McKinley Chambless 2, Michael Graham 6, Darrell White 22, D’Miria Glover 12. TOTALS – FG 34-63 (3FG 9-17), FT 8-14 (85).
WILLIAM CAREY (6-3, 3-0 in SSAC): Brandon Cranford 12, Adrian Williams 11, Leito Holloway 27, Rodney Mallett 6 (7 assists), Dalen Dotson 6, Marques McGee 2, Ryan McRaney 4, Branden Sheppard 17, Javontae McDavid 3. TOTALS – FG 28-65 (3FG 9-26), FT 23-28 (88).
